The US federal government is once again facing a possible shutdown.
Congress needs to agree on a new funding bill by the end of this month, if not, thousands of federal employees will be sent home.
That will mean curtailing many services and programmes.
It is not the first time the US has cut it close.
American politicians seem to be constantly pushing budget negotiations to the brink.
It is yet another sign of a deeply divided political landscape in Washington.
So, what will a government shutdown mean for Americans?
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Rina Shah – Founder and principal at the government and public affairs firm, Rilax Strategies
Thomas Gift – Director at the Centre on US Politics at University College London
Elaine Kamarck – Founding director at the Center for Effective Public Management at Brookings