(CNN)The government shutdown is approaching the two-week mark with no end in sight. And now that the holidays are over, its effects are becoming more apparent -- not just on federal workers' salaries, but on everything from science to beer. Here are some surprising impacts of the government shutdown: Low-income moms and their kids may not get nutritional assistance Certain food programs run by the Department of Agriculture could be affected by the shutdown if it continues. The government is STILL shut down Among those threatened is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which provides nutritional assistance to more than 7 million low-income women and their children. Read More The WIC is currently operating normally, said Rev. Douglas Greenaway, president and CEO of the National WIC Association (NWA), a non-profit education arm and advocacy voice for the program. But that could change if the shutdown keeps up. A prolonged … [Read more...] about Here are 6 surprising impacts of the government shutdown
The government shutdown
When he broke his leg at a National Park, strangers had to carry him to safety because of the government shutdown
New Hyde Park, New York (CNN)Josh Snider hoped the government shutdown would mean fewer crowds at Big Bend National Park during his Christmas Eve hike, even if it meant no visitor services or staff patrolling the Texas countryside. Then, he fell and broke his leg about 1.5 miles into the trek. Suddenly, he needed help -- and people. Fortunately, although rescue services were limited due to the shutdown, other people were close by, he said. A family of four, another hiker and a park ranger carried Snider out of Santa Elena Canyon to safety. "It turned out to be one of the most beautiful moments ever," Snider said. "It was great to see everyone come together to help get me out of the canyon." Josh Snider Unlike some previous government shutdowns, in which national parks closed entirely, gates have remained opened under the Trump administration, though parks are severely understaffed. CNN has reached out to Big Bend for comment on this incident. Read More Big Bend, which … [Read more...] about When he broke his leg at a National Park, strangers had to carry him to safety because of the government shutdown
Why are Trump and those in Congress still getting paid during the government shutdown?
WASHINGTON – As the federal government faces a partial shutdown, critics have noted that President Donald Trump and the lawmakers on Capitol Hill who helped get the country in this predicament are still collecting paychecks. So why are Congress and the president getting paid when so many other federal workers are being asked to go without? Incoming freshman congresswoman and self-described Democratic-socialist Alexandria Ocasio Cortez – who has already become an outspoken critic of congressional pay – said in a tweet last week that the next time the government shuts down, "Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well." "It’s completely unacceptable that members of Congress can force a government shutdown on partisan lines & then have Congressional salaries exempt from that decision," she tweeted. "Have some integrity." Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as … [Read more...] about Why are Trump and those in Congress still getting paid during the government shutdown?
The government shutdown is keeping NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in the dark
It's official: The partial federal government shutdown will have interplanetary consequences. As NASA's New Horizons spacecraft hurtles through the uncharted darkness of deep space, it's on target for a brief New Year's Day rendezvous with Ultima Thule, the most distant and primitive object ever to be explored by humankind. The data gathered by the mission will help scientists understand what conditions were like when our solar system first formed billions of years ago. But, due to the shutdown, those interested in tuning into the momentous event will be left almost in the dark: There will be no NASA-provided press releases, no social media updates and, perhaps most important to some, no live NASA webcast. "What's really a shame is this is truly historic," New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern told FLORIDA TODAY Thursday. "It's the farthest exploration of worlds in history and without NASA able to get the word out, I … [Read more...] about The government shutdown is keeping NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in the dark
5 ways the government shutdown could be bad for your health
Story highlights More than half of the Department of Health and Human Services 80,000+ employees could be furloughed Expert in disaster preparedness says "It doesn't make any sense" to risk the health of citizens (CNN)A government shutdown could potentially hurt the health of more than the government workers who will be plagued with the uncertainty and stress of not knowing when they'll get back to work and collect a paycheck. The shutdown could impact you, too. The government plays an outsized role in protecting our public health. A little more than half of the employees at the Department of Health and Human Services -- 41,203 out of 82,148 -- would be furloughed, according to the department's 2017 contingency plan. That means entire projects will stop and whole safety programs could go on hiatus. If the shutdown happens, workers considered "nonessential" stop working until Congress can agree on a federal budget bill. At its peak of the 2013 government shutdown, about … [Read more...] about 5 ways the government shutdown could be bad for your health