From Tax Refunds to Restrooms, What the Shutdown Has Shut Down
Here's What Actually Happens When the Government Shuts Down
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Visitors to national parks will be prevented from using the full-service restrooms. Tourists won’t be able to get into the National Air and Space Museum after Sunday. The Internal Revenue Service will stop issuing refunds, but it will also stop conducting audits.
At first glance, the tangible consequences of the latest government shutdown may seem less than overwhelming. After all, the mail will still get delivered, airport control towers will still be staffed and the border patrol will continue to guard the country. But in ways large and small, the shutdown that began at midnight Friday could touch almost every aspect of American life.