The United States has lurched into a government shutdown for the first time in 17 years, amid a budget crisis.
Government facilities such as national parks, museums and monuments, have been ordered to close - with hundreds-of-thousands of workers ordered to take furloughs, or forced leave.
Others are apparently being ordered to continue working for the time being without pay.
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Murray Silby reports.
Ten minutes before midnight bells rang throughout a deeply divided Washington, and after a day of furious debate between President Barack Obama's Democrats and rival Republicans, the White House ordered federal agencies to initiate their shutdown procedures.
It followed the failure of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democrat-controlled Senate to agree on a new budget.
Speaking before the shutdown, House Speaker and Republican leader, John Boehner put the blame of the impasse on President Obama for not being willing to negotiate.
"This is an issue of fairness. How can we give waivers to all the big union guys out there, how do we give a break to all the big business out there and yet stick our constituents with a bill they don't want and a bill they can't afford? That's what this fight is all about. I talked to the President earlier tonight, 'I'm not going to negotiate. I'm not going to negotiate. We're not going to do this.' Well I would say to the President this is not about me and it's not about Republicans here in Congress. It's about fairness for the American people."
But the Democrats' leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi says the Republicans' negotiations amounted to an attempt by the party to force its ideology on the nation.
She says the highly conservative Republican Tea Party faction was trying to force the Obama government to dump key parts of its Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
"We always think that any bill that is passed can be improved upon. We see how it operates. Is it effective? Does it have consequences that can be improved upon? But you do not use the threat of shutting down government to try and advance your policy agenda. That's just not the way it works and that's what is called irresponsible and that is why this is the Tea Party government shutdown because it is that ideological anti-government. That's what this is about, but you know what this is bigger than the Affordable Care Act. This is their way of saying we're going to have a new order here."
After the govenment shutdown had been declared, House Speaker John Boehner called for the House and Senate to find a settlement through negotiation.
"We believe that we should fund the government and we think there ought to be basic fairness for all Americans under Obamacare. The Senate has continued to reject our offers, but under the Constitution there's a way to resolve this process and that is to go to conference and talk through your differences and I would hope that the Senate will accept our offer to go to conference and discuss this so we can resolve this for the American people."
Although the shutdown will see non-essential offices and facilities close, people considered to be working in essential roles, such as patrolling the nation's borders, guarding prisoners, or providing air traffic control services, will apparently be ordered to temporarily work without pay.
President Obama has tried to ease fears the shutdown could impact on America's armed forces or security services.
Mr Obama says military personnel will remain on normal duty and that Congress has passed legislation to ensure they are paid.
But he has admitted there will be disruption to government employees.
"I know the days ahead could mean more uncertainty, including possible furloughs and I know this comes on top of the furloughs that many of you already undured this summer. You and your families deserve better than the dysfunction we're seeing in Congress. Your talents and dedication have helped keep our military the best in the world. That's why I'll keep working to get Congress to reopen our government and get you back to work as quickly as possible."
