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United States Government

FCC To Suspend Most Operations Thursday if the Partial Government Shutdown Continues (fcc.gov) 398

The Federal Communications Commission will suspend most operations in the middle of the day January 3 if the partial government shutdown continues, the agency has announced [PDF]. In a statement, it said: In the event of a continued partial lapse in federal government funding, the Federal Communications Commission will suspend most operations in the middle of the day on Thursday, January 3. At that time, employees will have up to four hours to complete an orderly shutdown of operations. However, work required for the protection of life and property will continue, as will any work related to spectrum auctions, which is funded by auction proceeds. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General will continue operations until further notice. The Commission on Wednesday will release a Public Notice detailing the effects the suspension of operations will have, including on electronic filing and database systems, filing deadlines, regulatory and application fee payments, transaction shot clocks, and more. The Public Notice will be available on the Commission's website, www.fcc.gov.
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FCC To Suspend Most Operations Thursday if the Partial Government Shutdown Continues

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  • by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @04:21PM (#57885606)

    Look at those list of qualifications for the things that are not really shut down.

    Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

    That's just for the FCC but the general trend carries across the whole government.

    For just one example - you can still update passports... and most national parks are still open.

    I think this shutdown may last a while, because I 'm not sure there's much pain that most non-government people will see...

    • Maybe we just leave it 'shut down.'
    • by Tablizer ( 95088 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @04:42PM (#57885724) Journal

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      But "useful" is a matter of degree and timing. For example, Federal permits are often required for various business activities. Many of those are being postponed, meaning businesses have to wait. It can muck up schedules, hurting profits.

      I'm sure you have a personal "to do" list, and many of those items can be postponed some without much problem, but after a while it will catch up to you and cause direct problems.

      ...and most national parks are still open

      But toiletry and garbage-related maintenance is on hold. I shouldn't have to explain the details of those downsides.

      It's stupid that our system allows this so easily. It should have a cruise control mode that funds at existing levels until budget agreements are made. Stop throwing monkey wrenches into our civilization; I LIKE civilization. It seems many don't. Let's not #MakeCavesGreatAgain.

      • It's stupid that our system allows this so easily. It should have a cruise control mode that funds at existing levels until budget agreements are made.

        The reason our system allows this so easily is to encourage lawmakers to compromise. Because presumably legislation and programs which have already been passed are likely to be more valuable than new legislation up for consideration. So nobody in their right mind would hold existing programs hostage as a ploy to try to get new programs passed.

        Unfortuna

    • Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      Trump is still in the White House, so that is clearly not true.

    • by hey! ( 33014 )

      That's because they've prioritized things with *immediate* effect. But over time you can't expect federal workers in "essential" positions to continue working without pay.

      For example DHS scrounged money to pay Coast Guardsmen today, but it is probable that they wont' receive paychecks in January. It is also likely that the Coast Guard will have difficulty paying to run its ships. ICE and Border Control agents are also working without pay. Coast Guardsmen can't leave, but eventually people working on bor

      • But over time you can't expect federal workers in "essential" positions to continue working without pay.

        All actually essential functions would receive emergency funding if truly needed, even if the workers did not take advantage of the many free loan options [clark.com] they have. Remember they are still going to receive all the pay they would have had they been working, so those loans are paid back as soon as the shutdown is over.

        Do taxes stop being collected? No? Well then the government actually has money to pay w

        • by hey! ( 33014 )

          All actually essential functions would receive emergency funding if truly needed,

          I'm wondering where you think that emergency funding will come from. The Constitutional mechanism we're dealing with here is that the Executive Branch can't spend money without legislative approval. Now you may be able to pull some treasury sleight of hand to move approved spending to specific purposes, but in the US treasury functions are also tightly controlled by Congress (e.g. securitizing debts).

          That's what DHS has done with the Coast Guard; it's searched under the sofa cushions and found already app

          • Now you may be able to pull some treasury sleight of hand to move approved spending to specific purposes,

            Bingo.

            Finally, there is no guarantee that furloughed federal workers will receive anything

            Wrong. The fix is in. [govexec.com]

            • by hey! ( 33014 )

              (1) There pot of already appropriated money is finite. The Coast Guard thing is a one off. This is especially true because in our system many normal treasury functions are still controlled by Congress.

              (2) Last I heard HR 7368 was referred to committee and died there. It'll have to be reintroduced next year, I think, although it *should* pass. Then of course Trump has to sign it.

    • by Actually, I do RTFA ( 1058596 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @05:19PM (#57885942)

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      My guess is you never knew anything the FCC actually did, so you have no idea.

      That's just for the FCC but the general trend carries across the whole government.

      Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution, the FDA isn't approving drugs, Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting checks, but you cannot get on it). Military, etc. as already fully funded, but if this keeps going on, there's a lot of programs that are going to start shutting down.

      you can still update passports...

      At consulates, not everywhere.

      and most national parks are still open.

      Most national parks have some pre-shutdown funding still available. They'll all be closed if this keeps going on. In the mean time, they've suspended trash pickup and restroom maintenance.

      It's possible that this partial shutdown, since like 3/4 of the budget was already allocated, may go on for a while. But I doubt it. My guess is it'll be pretty obvious in a few weeks once the last few dollars run out and people get out of the holidays slowdown and want to do things that require a non-shutdown government.

      • My guess is you never knew anything the FCC actually did, so you have no idea.

        I do, but apparently you did not since your claim requires stating what is important they are not continuing operations on.

        Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution

        Companies are still legally responsible for pollution so it's not like they are doing to start while monitoring is suspended.

        the FDA isn't approving drugs

        Fake News, applications still being processed. [pharmtech.com]

        Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting check

        • by Actually, I do RTFA ( 1058596 ) on Wednesday January 02, 2019 @12:25AM (#57890876)

          Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution
          Companies are still legally responsible for pollution so it's not like they are doing to start while monitoring is suspended.

          And when the EPA hasn't approved some process or equipment as complying, does the company shut down or run without approval (and thus be violating regulations). I suppose some can use old stuff. But yeah, I imagine a lot of companies will take advantage of this window to handle any disposal issues that they were stockpiling.

          the FDA isn't approving drugs
          Fake News, applications still being processed.

          Did you even read your link? Yes, the applications that were started in 2018 for new drugs are being continued if there's enough money left in their dedicated accounts. No new drugs approvals are even being considered as of Jan 1 2019, and the companies that started approvals in 2018 cannot add more money to those dedicated accounts in 2019 to finish it.

          Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting checks, but you cannot get on it)
          Fake news, that kind of bullshit only happens under Democrats who want you to think the government is more important than it is or in fact stoppable. Applications will be processed, just with some delay.

          Did you even read your link? It's talking about SSD, which while a component of SS is pretty small. It's talking about how hearings cannot be scheduled. And yes, paperwork is still being processed. However they cannot do the benefits validation until they're back. Which is a vital part to actually getting checks.

          you can still update passports... At consulates, not everywhere.
          More fake news, can mail a passport in from anywhere to get renewed or apply at any USPS office

          Yes, the mail service is still working. Yes the government didn't destroy all forms. But you cannot go to a passport office to get a passport. While some things can happen by mail, not all.

          Most national parks have some pre-shutdown funding still available. They'll all be closed if this keeps going on
          Takes money to shut down most parks. Why even close them? The stuff Obama did was just plain mean, like putting barricades around national monuments you could just walk up to. None of that happening this time.

          Got it, you don't think they should shut down the parks. I mean, they will, because they do every shutdown. But this is just a "why". It's not happening yet cause there's still a little cash left in those accounts.

          But yes, mothballing things does cost money. Government shutdowns tend to cost more than just keeping the government running, and they also don't produce the services we expect from government.

    • by ron_ivi ( 607351 )

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on"

      So might be best if the shutdown continues forever.

    • by Weirsbaski ( 585954 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @07:29PM (#57886500)

      Look at those list of qualifications for the things that are not really shut down.

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      There's a small but growing list of jobs being done by federal employees who are not currently being paid. You might count this as "carrying on", but most rational people would categorize this right into "unsustainable".

      * Disclaimer: yes, I know these employees will eventually get back pay, but the ability to work-then-back-pay is the reason "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

  • by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @04:24PM (#57885618)

    Firing up my pirate transmitter. Tune into 6925KHz.

  • I know we're all supposed to be angry at democrats/republicans ( depending on your allegiance of course ), but I just can't bring myself to be upset about the shutdown, or this particular aspect of it. Perhaps we should consider making this a more permanent state of affairs?

    • ... I just can't bring myself to be upset about the shutdown ...

      Perhaps if the shutdown involved Congress and the White House -- after all, they actually haven't done anything productive. But regular people, just trying to do their jobs and pay their bills, are now caught up in this -- over partial funding for wall almost no one wants (or cares about) and DHS says we don't actually need. Even Trump tweeted [twitter.com], on Dec 20, 2018 (last fucking week), that the Border is currently "tight":

      With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!

      And, contrary to what he might think (and I use that word generously), the military re

    • Same. It's hard to even notice it outside the news. I'd bet most people don't even know there is a partial government shutdown.

      • It's hard to notice a shutdown after a single week (or less since many programs had some leftover funds... the FCC/Smithsonian aren't shutting down until Wednesday and National Parks haven't shutdown yet either) between Christmas and New Years? How much interaction do you normally have with the federal government? How much normally happens between Christmas and New Years?

  • I'm sure Verizon will advance you some cash... (sigh)
  • If you like your Mexico paid for the wall, you can keep your Mexico paid for the wall.

  • One question: (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Locke2005 ( 849178 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @05:13PM (#57885916)
    Why are the executive branch and congress still receiving full pay and benefits?
    • Why are the executive branch and congress still receiving full pay and benefits?

      Because as part of checks and balances between the branches, it ensures that no branch can withhold another branch's pay in order to starve them out. Imagine the President purposely withholding bills solely to sink Congress's pay, thereby forcing them to pass bad legislation in order to remain personally solvent. Or Congress doing the same to the President.

    • I actually saw a different opinion on this recently that kind of changed my mind on the issue. Like most people, I agreed with you: no work = no pay, especially when they're causing bigger problems than are being fixed. The argument I heard against this is that rich congress people could use government shutdowns as a weapon against people who aren't rich. Congressional salary isn't high, of course these people are all rich from previous endeavors and/or lobbyists or other political bullshit. We don't want t

    • by Artagel ( 114272 )

      In some cases, it is unconstitutional to cut the pay. For example, federal judges salaries and the President's are protected by the constitution from being cut (or not paid) by Congress.

      Article II Sec 7 of the U.S. Constitution restricts the authority of Congress to alter the President's compensation:

      "The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected[.]"

      Article III Sec 1 of th

  • by DaMattster ( 977781 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @05:25PM (#57885974)
    As an amateur radio licensee, this kind of pisses me off because this will cause a huge back log of new licensee applications and new hams will have to wait longer for their call sign. To me, communications are critical. The Federal Bureaucracy is so bloated, surely there is an agency that is much lower down the food chain that would not be so mission critical.
    • Re:Amateur radio (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Jiro ( 131519 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @06:01PM (#57886150)

      That's one of the tricks of the shutdown. If the government forces you to use their services, when the services get shut down, the part about being forced to use them doesn't get shut down as well. That artificially makes the shutdown 1) particularly harmful to the public, and 2) particularly good for the government, compared to a real shutdown.

      If the government actually shut down, you wouldn't be able to apply but you wouldn't need to, since there would be no government to require you to apply.

      It's the same reason why the "shutdown" doesn't result in the TSA being removed from airports and people being able to travel without them.

  • CC To Suspend Most Operations Thursday

    And given the current FCC leadership, nothing of value was lost.

  • this stops the FCC from destroying more of America.
    NOW, ideally, it is time to EPA to announce a shutdown, at least at the top.
  • by Scarletdown ( 886459 ) on Monday December 31, 2018 @07:52PM (#57886576) Journal

    This is your big chance, everyone. With the freakin' FCC out of action for a bit, you can finally do stuff like; you no longer have to tinkle; you can finally take a piss. Fellatio no longer must be called a trouser friendly kiss...

    etc, etc...

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • 3 guys sleeping on their desks, 1 desk empty. One guy says "See? I told you Fred was non-essential".

    That's pretty much how I view these shutdowns. The asshats responsible not only get paid on time, with their salon, jacuzzi, steam room, and health benefits. They don't look around afterwards and say "Hmm, these people are non-essential, we got ourselves a budget issue . Mebbe we can do without half of them and save some money."

You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your desk.

Working...