The US has entered its 15th shutdown

Deep partisan divisions have prevented Congress and the White House from reaching an agreement on funding, Reuters reports.

This is the 15th government shutdown since 1981. It will halt the publication of the highly anticipated September employment report, slow down air travel, suspend scientific research, deprive the US military of their salaries, and send 750,000 federal employees on forced leave, which will cost $400 million per day.

US President Donald Trump warned Democratic lawmakers that the shutdown could pave the way for irreversible steps, including even more job and program cuts.

The shutdown began hours after the Senate rejected a short-term funding bill that would have kept the government running until November 21.

Democrats opposed the bill because Republicans refused to include an extension of health benefits for millions of Americans that expire at the end of the year. Republicans insist that this issue should be considered separately.

The funding dispute centers on $1.7 trillion for agency operations, which is about a quarter of the government's total $7 trillion budget.

This shutdown could last longer than previous budget-related shutdowns, as Trump and White House officials threaten to punish Democrats by cutting government programs and the federal payroll.

Photo: aif.by.