The U.S. Department of Health, for example, has in place a contingency plan for agency operations during a government shutdown, with 49,625 staff members considered essential and 40,887 staff members being furloughed, which breaks down to 55% retained and 45% furloughed.

Holiday travelers fretting over how a government shutdown would affect their flights can breathe easy — now that both chambers of Congress have approved a temporary stopgap avoiding the prospect. The big picture: An estimated 40 million people are expected to fly during one of the busiest travel periods of the year,