Congress is edging closer to a situation that could trigger a shutdown starting at the end of this week, just a few months after the nation emerged from its longest shutdown on record.
Funding for several federal agencies will expire after midnight on Friday. However, Senate Republicans and Democrats have yet to reach an agreement on a six – bill appropriations package. This deadlock follows an incident where federal officers were involved in an event in Minneapolis, which has fueled public outcry against the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown. Senate Democrats are opposing a bill that includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are stating that they are ready to block the bill’s passage, even if it results in the government shutting down again.
The last shutdown, which began on Oct. 1 and lasted for 43 days, saw hundreds of thousands of federal workers being furloughed, and thousands more working for weeks without pay. There were disruptions across the country as airports struggled with staffing shortages, and federal food aid that millions of Americans rely on became the focus of a controversy.
The Senate may pass some of the six bills in the package involved in the current standoff, or none of them. Regardless, if all the bills don’t pass, the country will face a partial government shutdown.
Although this shutdown wouldn’t be as extensive as the last one, since lawmakers have already passed measures to fund several agencies, it would still have an impact on a number of the federal government’s functions and services. Many of these effects could be mitigated, though, if the shutdown ends as early as Monday.
Here’s how the possible shutdown could affect you.
How would a partial shutdown affect federal workers?
If Congress fails to pass the appropriations package, many federal workers at the unfunded agencies would likely be put on furlough. However, staffers considered essential workers would be expected to continue working without pay. By law, federal employees are guaranteed to receive their pay after the government reopens. Independent contractors, on the other hand, do not have this guarantee.
How would a partial shutdown affect air travel?
The last government shutdown led to disruptions across the country. While Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and air traffic controllers are regarded as essential workers, they have to work without pay. Many staffers called in sick, resulting in long lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays.
The departments housing both the TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration, which employs air traffic controllers, are among those that would be affected by a partial shutdown.
How would a partial shutdown affect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are all considered mandatory programs and are not funded through annual appropriations. This means that Social Security payments are usually still distributed during a government shutdown, and Medicare and Medicaid continue to operate.
However, some services related to these programs could be halted during a shutdown, as has happened in the past. Examples include benefit verifications or the issuance of new Social Security cards and replacement Medicare cards.
How would a partial shutdown affect immigration enforcement?
While DHS is one of the agencies that would be affected by the possible shutdown, immigration enforcement would likely remain operational, at least in the short term.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” that President Donald Trump signed into law last year provided Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with a $75 billion supplement, in addition to its approximately $10 billion base budget. This financial buffer means that the agency is likely to avoid disruptions in its operations even if Congress doesn’t approve new DHS appropriations before the deadline.
How would a partial shutdown affect the IRS?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is one of the agencies that would be impacted by a partial shutdown. During the most recent shutdown, the IRS continued to operate but eventually had to scale back some of its services. During the 2018 – 2019 government shutdown, at least 26,000 IRS staffers were recalled to work without pay ahead of tax season, but some didn’t show up.
The possibility of a partial shutdown comes as the tax season is less than three months away.
The agency’s workforce has already been reduced due to Trump’s extensive federal staffing cuts over the past year. This has raised concerns about potential disruptions to taxpayer services even before the likelihood of another shutdown increased.
Would SNAP be affected by a partial shutdown? What about national parks and museums?
No. Congress has already passed an appropriations bill that includes funding for the Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). So, even if the government shuts down this week, SNAP benefits will continue.
Similarly, national parks, the Smithsonian Institute’s museums, and the National Zoo have already received funding through an appropriations bill passed by Congress. Therefore, they will remain open even if there is a partial shutdown this week.
Would mail delivery be affected by a partial shutdown?
No. The U.S. Postal Service is not funded through annual appropriations; instead, it is self – funded. This means that, even if the government shuts down this week, services such as mail delivery and post office operations will not be affected.
