… visa issuances will continueBy Zena HenryWhile the United States Government has reached a standstill, forcing it on a temporary shutdown, travelers to the North American continent are assured that authorities will be available at ports of entry in that country.The almost two-week-old Government shutdown has forced the total or semi-closure of services provided by some state agencies.The local US Embassy says that although there have been slight disruptions in their operations with constraints on Embassy spending as a result of the shutdown, there will be no interference in visa issuances as the service is being paid for.The local Embassy says that “The United States Department of State and USAID are national security agencies and they have taken steps to continue working to advance the national interest. Regardless of the challenges created by the shutdown, we will continue to operate to advance national interests and protect health and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.”“State Department offices, bureaus, and elements at our posts overseas, including Georgetown, will continue to function for a limited period of time.”“Fee-funded activities,Adidas Hockey Jerseys Cheap, including visa and passport issuance, and U.S. citizen services abroad, will continue since fees are collected to finance these services.”As it relates to aid, the Department of State and USAID ‘s foreign assistance programmes with Fiscal Year 2013 and prior-year funds available will continue,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, as will implementation of ongoing programmes.“However, we are not conducting business as usual. ?The Department and USAID will not hire any new personnel and we are severely constraining spending. An extended shutdown would force additional closures and furloughs.According to the website “http://www.usa.gov/shutdown.shtml” which speaks on the unavailability of services caused by the shutdown, social security beneficiaries will continue receiving checks; the U.S. Postal Service will keep delivering mail; air traffic controllers,Wholesale Basketball Jerseys, prison guards, and border patrol agents will remain on the job.Unless Congress passes a budget to fund the affected state operations, the website explained that vital services that ensure that seniors and young children have access to healthy food and meals may not have sufficient Federal funds to serve all beneficiaries in an extended lapse. Call centers,Wholesale NBA Jerseys, hotlines and regional offices that help veterans understand their benefits will close to the public. Veterans’ compensation,Cheap NFL Jerseys, pension, education, and other benefits could be cut off in the case of an extended shutdown.Every one of America’s national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, are closed. New applications for small business loans and loan guarantees will be halted. Research into life-threatening diseases and other areas will stop, and new patients won’t be accepted into clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health. Work to protect consumers, ranging from child product safety to financial security to the safety of hazardous waste facilities, will cease.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will halt non-essential inspections of chemical facilities and drinking water systems. Permits and reviews for planned energy and transportation projects will stop, preventing companies from working on these projects.Loans to rural communities will be halted. Hundreds of thousands of Federal employees including many charged with protecting from terrorist threats, defending our borders, inspecting our food, and keeping our skies safe will work without pay until the shutdown ends. Hundreds of thousands of additional federal workers will be immediately and indefinitely furloughed without pay.”The US Government fell into deadlock two weeks ago,Soccer Jerseys China, with the shutdown occurring at midnight September 30. Full support has not been reached for funding for the affected State Agencies.