Congress has yet to pass a continuing resolution that would keep the government open when the new fiscal year begins tomorrow, and it’s starting to look like a government shutdown is real possibility.
If Congress can’t get it together and the government is forced to close up shop, several enforcement agencies and business regulators would have to scale back operations to only essential functions that are exempt from closure. Exactly what that means is unclear. According to a plan of operations released by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, “the functions that qualify as exceptions include those related to emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, including law enforcement functions.”
