Millions of Americans rely on essential federal services that could be disrupted by a government shutdown. I am working to keep critical services up and running for families in our community, while lowering health care costs. Sadly, Republicans are pushing a partisan spending bill that takes health care away from working families.
Below, you’ll find information on what a government shutdown means, how it could affect you, and frequently asked questions (FAQs).
PLEASE NOTE: The situation is changing quickly. For the most up-to-date information on how a shutdown is affecting a specific federal agency, please visit the agency’s website directly.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about government shutdowns:
Historically, the longest shutdown on record is the Trump shutdown in 2018 and 2019 that lasted 35 days. Although we do not know how long this shutdown will last, my Democratic colleagues and I will be working tirelessly to reopen the government. Both of my San Mateo and Washington, DC, offices will remain open with regular hours for those seeking help or answers.
Each government agency has a contingency plan for how to operate during a federal shutdown. The Trump Administration has not publicized how it is planning for a shutdown, but each agency will share contingency plans on its website. Many will have to stop or reduce the essential services they provide with this lapse in funding, as well as furlough employees until the agencies are funded.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the 2018-2019 shutdown cost the U.S. economy $11 billion.
Congress must pass and the President must sign an appropriation bill to fund the departments and reopen agencies that have shut down.
Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and SSI checks uninterrupted. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will dramatically increase.
Current Medicare, Medicaid, and disability insurance beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits.
Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is not affected by a shutdown.
Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents will remain on the job without pay until the shutdown is over. However, in prior shutdowns there have been significant delays and longer wait times at airports across the country.
All Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and clinics will remain operational. The VA will continue to process veterans’ benefits. However, veterans will be affected by the shutdown of other services that they count on, including education and job training, support for veteran-owned businesses, and even assistance for homeless veterans.
All active-duty and Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders are required to work without pay. On-base, non-acute health care will cease, although off-base care provided through Tricare will not be affected. On-base child care will be open on a case-by-case basis. Federal law enforcement officers will also be required to work without pay for the duration of a shutdown.
Military and federal retirees will continue to receive their retirement benefits. Processing new applications or other requested changes will be delayed.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff may still respond to emergencies, but all long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding. President Trump reduced FEMA’s workforce significantly prior to the government shutdown, so its ability to respond to any national emergencies will be even more limited.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop inspecting most hazardous waste sites, as well as drinking water and chemical facilities. Efforts to address dangerous contaminants like PFAS — which are linked to severe health effects, including cancer — will be delayed, and cleanup activities at Superfund sites will slow or cease.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will quickly run out of funding and be unable to provide food for children and parents in need. In the case of a prolonged shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may also be affected.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety activities — such as routine inspections of facilities — will be delayed across the country.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will stop insuring some new mortgages and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will stop processing some new loans. The VA will continue to guarantee home loans. Funding for federal housing assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, may be jeopardized in a prolonged shutdown.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will stop processing new business loans, such as through the 7(a) and 504 programs. However, SBA’s Disaster Loan Program will continue regular operations.
The Trump Administration made drastic cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prior to the government shutdown. During the shutdown, NIH will be forced to delay any remaining new clinical trials. New patients who are waiting for a chance at new treatment through a clinical trial will be turned away.
Across the country, services that require National Park Service staff — including trash removal and operating campgrounds and concessions — may be stopped. Closures will be determined on a location-by-location basis; open-air parks and monuments in Washington, D.C. will likely remain accessible. Smithsonian museums may also be impacted by a lengthy shutdown.
Federal Direct Student Loans can continue to be obligated and make disbursement during a shutdown, but only as long as carryover and mandatory appropriations last. Department staff needed to carry out and support these functions would also be significantly reduced.
The Department of Education estimates Free Applications for Student Aids (FAFSA), Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student Loans, and servicing of federal student loans could continue for a “very limited time” under a shutdown.
Consular services, passport services, and visa services are expected to continue in the immediate aftermath of a government shutdown. In a prolonged shutdown, passport and visa issuance could be slowed. Access to passport agencies located in some government buildings may be limited.
The federal government shutdown will not immediately affect any state or local services. However, with federal funding cut off, some state or local governments may have to change their operations. Check with state and local agencies for specific questions.
The following federal facilities may be affected in the event of a government shutdown:
- Military bases, arsenals, depots, and federal armories
- Federal prisons and courthouses
- National laboratories
- National Park System facilities, including National Parks, National Forests, and other federally owned or managed lands may experience closures
- Ports including seaports, airports, and intermodal terminals that may host federal customs processing facilities or law enforcement
- IRS facilities
- Law enforcement agencies like the FBI, ATF, DEA, or CBP
- General federal office buildings
When the government shuts down, federal agencies are required to classify their employees whose salaries have lapsed as either essential or non-essential. Essential employees are required to work without pay during the shutdown. Non-essential employees are put on unpaid furlough. Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, all federal employees are retroactively paid for the duration of the shutdown upon its conclusion.