Lawmakers in Congress are racing against time to prevent a potential government shutdown at the end of December.

On Thursday, House Republicans put forth a new plan to fund the government, but some right-wing members of the GOP expressed their discontent with the proposal. Despite this, President-elect Donald Trump endorsed the plan, labeling it a “success” in Washington.

His support follows his collaboration with allies like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to encourage lawmakers to oppose a bipartisan funding deal that would maintain government funding through March.

During a meeting on Thursday night, the House attempted to advance a funding bill but was unable to secure the two-thirds majority necessary for passage, heightening the risk of an imminent government shutdown.

Here are the key details as the deadline approaches for a potential government shutdown.

What is the deadline for a government shutdown?

If a funding bill is not ratified by Friday night, when Congress aims to conclude its work before the holidays, the government will have to furlough thousands of federal employees and curtail its services.

What happens to federal employees if a government shutdown occurs?

While the term “shutdown” may imply a total halt, the reality is more nuanced. Federal agencies categorize their staff as either “essential” or “nonessential.”

Essential employees continue to work but may not receive immediate payment. Meanwhile, nonessential employees are furloughed and cannot work or be compensated until the government reopens, as outlined in a report from Reuters.

During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which lasted 35 days in 2018-2019, around 800,000 federal workers went without pay.

What are the consequences of a government shutdown?

A government shutdown would significantly affect federal workers across the nation, many of whom would be furloughed. Here’s how a shutdown would influence various sectors:

• Social Security payments
• Postal services
• Military pay
• National parks