Over a rolling period in mid-January, most of those federal workers will go without their first paycheck, a breach that will create hundreds of thousands of angry constituents all across the nation.

More pressure points are coming. By February, food stamps will be curtailed and tax refund checks stalled. Trash is piling up in some national parks.

Some Republicans are aware the public outrage will rise and phone calls will start to increase once constituents see reduced services. Lawmakers will hear stories about unpaid workers.

“I want to get this done. I don’t want us to have to get to that point,” McCarthy said.