This development happened because the Republicans and Democrats could not come together and pass a bill funding government services into October and beyond. The Republicans control both chambers of Congress, but in the Senate – or upper chamber – they are short of the 60 votes they need to pass a spending bill. Mail will still be delivered and post offices will remain open because the US Postal Service does not depend on Congress for funding. But this time, the Trump administration appears more than happy to shutter large parts of the US government for an extended period. Over the past nine months, however, the Trump administration has slashed spending and pushed workers out of their jobs, testing the boundaries of presidential power.