The clock is ticking on Congress to reach a deal, as the federal government is slated to shut down Oct. 1 if a funding package is not passed.

The deadline comes as President Donald Trump and Democrats met in private at the White House on Sept. 29, but left the meeting without an agreement to keep the federal government open. If lawmakers fail to pass a funding package before midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 1, a wide-scale shutdown of government services will begin.

For weeks, Democrats have said they would vote to extend funding for the government if requests like cuts to Medicaid are reversed, while Republicans have said Democrats should not negotiate over health care in a government funding bill.

With only hours before the funding deadline, here's what you need to know.

What time would a government shutdown start?

Current funding for the federal government expires at midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 1. If a funding deal is not passed by then, the federal government will officially be in a shutdown by 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.

Over the last five decades, there have been 21 federal shutdowns, many of which lasted only a day or two. One of the most recent shutdowns was also the longest, lasting 34 days between December 2018 and January 2019 during Trump’s first term in office, due to a stalemate between the president and Congress over border security.

What happens during a government shutdown?

Many federal government agencies and programs that rely on annual funding would be paused if Congress fails to pass or if Trump fails to sign the budget legislation. During a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers deemed nonessential would be furloughed until funding is passed, meaning they won’t work and won’t be paid.

Normally, furloughed employees typically receive back pay, but the White House has said it will fire federal workers en masse if Democrats force a shutdown.

Although funded by the government, the military, as well as federal law enforcement agencies, will continue to operate like normal. On the other hand, national parks are often closed to the public during a shutdown.

USA TODAY’s Zachary Schermele and Francesca Chambers contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What time would a government shutdown start? Here's the deadline

Reporting by Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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