SOME OF WHAT IS CLOSED AND AFFECTED IN WASHINGTON WHEN THE US GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN (figures based on last shutdown in 2013):
NATIONAL PARKS:
National parks are closed and overnight visitors given two days to depart, resulting in a loss of 750,000 daily visitors and $US500 million in spending.
WASHINGTON TOURIST SIGHTS:
Popular tourist destinations such as the Smithsonian closed, with barricades going up at the Lincoln Memorial, the National Zoo, Library of Congress and the National Archives.
TAXES:
The Internal Revenue Service temporarily laid off 90 per cent of its staff. About $4 billion in tax refunds were delayed as a result.
MILITARY:
All military personnel continued on normal duty status but about half of the Defense Department's 800,000 civilian employees were placed on unpaid leave. Nearly all were recalled one week into the shutdown after the Defense Department implemented the Pay Our Military Act, which had recently been passed by Congress.
LOANS:
The processing of mortgages and other loans was delayed when lenders could not access government services such as income and Social Security number verification.
