Johnson’s bill is tied to the SAVE Act, a law that would require all Americans to show proof of citizenship in order to vote and would complicate the national voter registration process before key elections. The measure is generally against by Democrats and some Republicans.

If no funding extension is approved, the government will shut down on October 1. This gives Congress more than two weeks to pass legislation, but lawmakers are eager to get out of Washington so they can get back on the campaign trail before Election Day.

Given their razor-thin majority, Republicans can only afford a four-vote loss if all lawmakers show up and Democrats remain united in opposition. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has sharply criticized Johnson’s budget proposal and his insistence on tying it to the controversial proposal.

Former President Donald Trump urged Republicans to reject any agreement unless the funding bill included guarantees for election security.

The budget proposal would include money allocations for important federal issues, including benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs, parts of the farm bill, health care programs and more.

The looming shutdown comes at a time when the presidential election campaigns between Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris are in full swing. Although there have been shutdowns in previous election years, the country’s political situation was nowhere near as divided as it is now.

A government shutdown could prevent thousands of government employees from get their paychecks.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening, what’s at stake, and why it might be different this time.

What happens if there is a government shutdown?

When the government shuts down, federal agencies classify their employees as “essential” or “non-essential.” All “non-essential” employees are furloughed until the government reopens, meaning they cannot work or get paid.

The umbrella organization of government employees includes millions of people from various organizations, including the Department of Homeland Security and National Parks. Widespread staff shortages would not only be disruptive to consumers, but many of these employees could struggle to make ends meet without income.

Americans could see disruptions. Airports could be understaffed because TSA agents would take pay cuts, natural disaster and emergency programs could be delayed, and some social safety net programs like SNAP could be curtailed. Student loan forgiveness and other financial assistance programs could be suspended, as could servicing of all government loans for small businesses.

Government shutdowns have historically lasted anywhere from three hours to five weeks, but the length depends on the actions of Congress. The only way to reopen the government is for lawmakers to pass a spending bill.

Has this ever happened before?

Last year, Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown after Republicans failed to agree on a temporary funding arrangement. Then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was later ousted over his dealings with President Joe Biden.

Between December 2018 and January 2019, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history occurred. The shutdown lasted 35 days, and 800,000 federal employees went without pay, costing the federal government billions of dollars.

Trump is calling for a shutdown and is calling on his Republican colleagues to only agree to a spending bill if it includes promises on election security.

“Unless Republicans in the House and Senate receive absolute assurances on election security, THEY SHOULD NOT ADVANCE A PERMANENT BUDGET RESOLUTION,” Trump posted on his social network Truth Social.

What impact could this have on the election?

Neither side sees the benefit of a government shutdown. The salaries of millions of government employees would be at stake. If a shutdown were to drag on, even active soldiers could lose their pay.

Polls show that the blame for shutdowns often lies with Republicans, who insist on implementing policies before approving funding measures. Americans blamed the Republicans According to the Washington Post, he was 23 percentage points higher than then-President Bill Clinton, who endured a 21-day shutdown in 1995. Clinton won the 1996 presidential election with 379 to 159 votes in the Electoral College.

Trump increased the blame usually attributed to Republicans when he unexpectedly claimed credit for closure in 2018.

Nevertheless, there hasn’t been a shutdown so close to an important election in decades – and it could have a decisive impact on the optics of the election campaign before November.