U.S. government shutdown certain as talks crumble: what will close and what stays open

WASHINGTON - A host of government agencies were poised to shut down at midnight, sidelining hundreds of thousands of federal workers as Congress and the White House remain deadlocked over President Donald Trump's desire to build a wall along the Mexican border.

House lawmakers left Friday night without an agreement to keep nine Cabinet departments and several smaller agencies running. The House plans to return today.

Senate Republicans said they didn't have the votes for a House measure that includes an extra $5.7 billion for border security that Trump wants. Instead, they were hoping the White House could reach an agreement with Senate Democrats, who are adamantly opposed to giving Trump any new money for the border wall that he promised would be paid for by Mexico.

Talks were continuing. One scenario: $1.6 billion for border security, though not for a wall.

At the White House, Trump said last week said he'd take the 'mantle” as the person responsible for the shutdown.

But Friday, he sought to blame Democrats. He told reporters it was 'totally up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown.”

Agencies that will lose funding in the partial shutdown include the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State, Interior, Agriculture, Treasury, Commerce and Justice, along with Homeland Security, though many of its law enforcement agents would keep working because they're considered 'essential.”

Senate Democrats estimated a partial shutdown will affect more than 800,000 federal employees, about a third of the federal workforce.

How will this affect you - or not?

' The mail, which is not funded by tax dollars, still will be delivered.

' Air traffic controllers and federal airline safety inspectors remain on the job. Airport security checkpoints also remain at full staffing, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Safety Administration said, but those workers will not be getting paid. (Though they likely would be paid retroactively.)

' Although national parks stay open, they must 'notify visitors that the NPS will cease providing visitor services, including restrooms, trash collection, facilities and roads maintenance (including plowing), campground reservation and check-in.”

' The State Department issue passports and visas, though it has warned such activities 'will remain operational as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations.”

' Local and state farm service centers will close and Farm Service Agency staff won't be available for consultations.

' Small businesses will not have access to the Small Business Administration's federally assisted loans and technical assistance, as SBA guarantees to back loans would freeze.

' The Federal Housing Administration will experience delays in loan processing and approvals, meaning people trying to buy a home or refinance an FHA mortgage could be put on standby.

' But the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa Tracker, started in 1955, will still operate.

Because the closings coincide with the beginning of what the federal government views as a four-day holiday weekend, the impacts would be limited if a deal is struck soon.

The McClatchy Washington Bureau and the Washington Post contributed to this report.