The Government Shut Down. What Now?
What is a government shutdown?
The government shuts down when Congress is unable to pass appropriations (funding) bills that tell the executive branch how to fund the operations of federal agencies and programs, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These appropriations bills are designed to fund the government until the conclusion of each fiscal year, which ends on September 30th.
If new appropriations bills aren’t enacted by this deadline, Congress needs to pass a temporary measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which sustains the government's funding at its current levels. In the absence of approved appropriations bills or a CR, the government shuts down due to lack of authorized funding, federal agencies close, and government services stop
We are currently in a government shutdown.
What government services and programs are impacted during a government shutdown and what effect does this have on the public?
A government shutdown, whether partial or full, impacts a variety of services and programs. During the 2018-2019 partial shutdown, the Food and Drug Administration suspended routine inspections, increasing public health risks. The National Park Service stopped trash collection and road repairs, creating unsanitary conditions and unsafe roads, while some national parks and museums closed entirely. Additionally, over 86,000 immigration court hearings were canceled, exacerbating existing backlogs. That shutdown also threatened the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in some states, putting low-income families and children at risk. These disruptions illustrate how shutdowns can detrimentally affect public services and society's most vulnerable communities.
What government services and programs remain uninterrupted during a shutdown?
During a government shutdown, essential services like inpatient and emergency medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, border security, disaster aid, and power grid maintenance continue, though they may face disruptions. Services related to national security and public safety remain open.
During the 2018-2019 shutdown, air traffic controllers worked without pay, causing widespread delays and even a temporary halt of incoming flights at airports. Services independent of annual appropriations (funding) bills, such as the U.S. Postal Service and programs like Social Security and Medicare, also continue, but may experience interruptions. For example, during the Fiscal Year 1996 shutdown, most Social Security Administration staff were initially furloughed, leading to delays in services like public inquiries and benefit claims processing, even though Social Security benefits remained funded.
What happens to federal employees during a shutdown?
Federal employees from shut-down agencies are either furloughed—prohibited from work and unpaid—or required to work without pay if their roles are deemed essential to public safety. While Congress has traditionally approved retroactive payment for these employees once the government reopens, this does not prevent the immediate financial difficulties they face. Following the 2019 shutdown, Congress passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which provides immediate retroactive back pay to federal employees after a shutdown ends.
During the 2018-2019 partial government shutdown, around 2 million people were employed by the federal government; 380,000 of them were furloughed and 420,000 worked without pay. Many delayed mortgage or credit card payments, risking late fees or loan defaults. In 2013, there were over 2 million federal employees, with about 850,000 furloughed during the shutdown. Government contractors, unlike direct federal employees, typically do not receive back pay after shutdowns. In the 2018-2019 shutdown, an estimated 4.1 million people worked under government contracts, though the exact number of those furloughed is unclear.
What is the process to end a government shutdown, and can the President unilaterally end it?
To end a government shutdown, Congress needs to pass and the President must sign appropriations (funding) bills to fund the departments and agencies that have been shut down. The President does not have the power to end a shutdown unilaterally. The funding bills must follow the same legislative process as any other bill, requiring approval from both the House and Senate before the President can sign them into law.
What is the impact of a government shutdown on the public and the U.S. economy?
Shutdowns are detrimental to both the public, who face service and program disruptions, and federal employees, who are either furloughed or required to work without pay. Moreover, they pose a significant strain on government resources. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and federal agencies need to develop and implement shutdown plans, a process that requires substantial staff time and resources, potentially detracting from public services. Shutdowns also cause revenue losses, such as those from visitor fees or gift store sales when national parks close.
Additionally, shutdowns negatively impact the economy. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown cost the U.S. economy $11 billion, mainly due to federal workers reducing their spending in response to lost pay. Notably, this decrease in spending may not rebound even after workers receive their back pay.
Which federal facilities will be impacted by this government shutdown?
Among others, the following federal facilities may be affected during the government shutdown:
- Military bases, arsenals, depots, and federal armories
- Veterans’ Affairs medical facilities
- Federal prisons and courthouses
- National laboratories
- National Park System facilities, National Forests, and other federally owned or managed lands
- 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.