WASHINGTON —

With Congress at a stalemate, government agencies are preparing for a potential shutdown that could disrupt services and impact federal workers.

A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass a short-term or year-long budget, causing the government to legally lose its authority to spend money. This situation often arises from political gridlock, where lawmakers in Washington clash, sometimes using the threat of a shutdown as political leverage to push certain policies.

When a shutdown happens, not all government operations close completely. Agencies implement a contingency plan that divides duties and staff into essential and non-essential categories.

Non-essential operations are the first to stop, which typically means services like visitor operations at nationa

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