美國聯邦政府開始實施部分關閉

The U.S. government has enacted a partial shutdown for the first time in 17 years, as the two branches of Congress failed by the October 1st deadline to agree on a single spending bill.

Three times on Monday, the Republican-led House of Representatives approved a spending bill that would delay President Barack Obama's signature health care law. In all three cases, the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected it minutes later.

Shortly before midnight, White House Budget Director Sylvia Burwell issued a directive to federal agencies to "execute plans for an orderly shutdown." The move means the furlough of an estimated 800,000 federal workers. Agencies affected will include national parks, traffic safety agencies, and the Defense Department -- mainly the furlough of its civilian employees. Homeland Security agents and border security offices will remain open, as well as other law enforcement agencies.

In a statement early Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama said members of the U.S. military will remain on duty and ongoing military operations like those in Afghanistan will continue. He said he plans to sign into law a bill that will ensure members of the military are paid on time. Mr. Obama also pledged to work to get Congress to reopen the government.由於美國國會參衆兩院未能在10月1日之前就一項撥款議案達成一致立場，美國聯邦政府已經開始實施17年來的首次部分關閉。

星期一，美國國會衆議院前後三次通過包含推遲實施奧巴馬總統標誌性的醫保法案條款的撥款議案，但每次都隨即被民主黨人控制的參議院否決。

接近星期一午夜時，白宮預算事務主管伯韋爾發佈指示，要求聯邦各機構“實施有序關閉的方案”。這意味着大約80萬名聯邦僱員將被強制不帶薪休假。受到影響的機構包括國家公園、交通運輸安全部門以及國防部。在國防部，被強制休假的主要是文職人員。國土安全部、邊防部門以及其他執法機構將繼續辦公。

美國總統奧巴馬星期二凌晨發表聲明說，美國軍人將繼續履行職責，正在執行過程中的軍事行動，如在阿富汗的軍事行動，將繼續進行。奧巴馬錶示，他計劃簽署一項法案，以確保按時給軍人發餉。此外，奧巴馬還保證努力爭取國會讓政府機構恢復正常運作。