Shutdown unlikely to stop NSA spying

A government shutdown, set for Oct 1 if lawmakers fail to strike a deal, would be unlikely to impede the National Security Agency's surveillance programs.

The Defense Department is set to release its plan for how to handle a potential shutdown. That plan is expected to be similar to one the department released in 2011 ahead of another congressional showdown that ultimately resulted in a deal to keep the government running. The 2011 plan, outlined in a memo by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn, exempted activities necessary for "protection of life and property." The exemption covered "intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities required to support national or military requirements necessary for national security," according to the memo.