- The US faces a federal government shutdown if no funding deal is reached by Tuesday midnight
- Per rules, several federal agencies will have to furlough most staff except those protecting life and property
- Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Affairs, and the US Postal Service will continue normal operations
The United States is on the verge of yet another federal government shutdown, with prospects looking rather bleak for a last-minute compromise in Congress. The current fiscal year is ending at midnight on Tuesday. If no deal is achieved between Republicans and Democrats by then, several federal services will come to a halt, disrupting the lives of millions of Americans for seven weeks till a new annual spending bill is introduced.
This year's potential shutdown stands out mainly due to the clash between Team Trump and congressional Democrats over healthcare and federal spending. Senate Democrats have said that they won't vote for a House measure that would extend federal funding unless Republicans include an extension of expiring health care benefits, among other demands, while President Donald Trump and Republicans are refusing to negotiate at all, arguing that it is a stripped-down, "clean" bill that should be noncontroversial.
It remains unclear, so far, if either side will blink before the deadline. However, US Vice President JD Vance has announced that the federal government 'headed to a shutdown," blaming Democrats.
What Happens If The Government Shuts Down
When a lapse in funding occurs, the law requires federal agencies to cease activity and furlough their "non-excepted" employees. Excepted employees include those who perform work to protect life and property. They stay on the job but don't get paid until after the shutdown has ended.
Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan. The plans outline which agency workers would stay on the job during a government shutdown and which would be furloughed.
During the 35-day partial shutdown in Trump's first term, roughly 340,000 of the 800,000 federal workers at affected agencies were furloughed. The remainder were "excepted" and required to work.
In 2019, Congress passed a bill enshrining into law the requirement that furloughed employees get retroactive pay once operations resume.
Which Agencies Continue To Work
FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers, and agents manning airport checkpoints continue to work. So do members of the Armed Forces. Those programs that rely on mandatory spending also generally continue during a shutdown.
Social Security checks also continue to go out. Seniors who rely on Medicare coverage can still go see their doctors and health care providers and submit claims for payment and be reimbursed. Veteran health care also continues during a shutdown. Veterans Affairs medical centers and outpatient clinics will be open, and VA benefits will continue to be processed and delivered. Burials will also continue at VA national cemeteries.
The US Postal Service is also not affected by a government shutdown. It is an independent entity that is funded through the sale of its products and services, not by tax dollars.
How Other Agencies Are Preparing For Shutdown
Health and Human Services will furlough about 41 per cent of its staff out of nearly 80,000 employees, according to a contingency plan posted on its website. The remaining employees will keep up activities needed to protect human life and property.
Per an Associated Press report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue monitoring for disease outbreaks, and direct medical services through the Indian Health Service and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center will remain available. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention communications to the public will be hampered, and NIH will not admit new patients to the Clinical Center, except when it is medically necessary.
At the Food and Drug Administration, its "ability to protect and promote public health and safety would be significantly impacted, with many activities delayed or paused." For example, the agency would not accept new drug applications or medical device submissions that require payment of a user fee.
The Education Department will furlough about 1,500 of 1,700 employees, excluding federal student aid workers. The department will continue to disburse student aid such as Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans. Student loan borrowers will still be required to make payments on their outstanding debt. The department would cease new grantmaking activities, but most grant programs typically make awards over the summer, so there would be limited impact.
At the National Park Service, as a general rule, if a facility or area is inaccessible during non-business hours, it will be locked for the duration of the lapse in funding, said a March 2024 plan. At parks where it is impractical or impossible to restrict public access, staffing will vary by park. "Generally, where parks have accessible park areas, including park roads, lookouts, trails, campgrounds, and open-air memorials, these areas will remain physically accessible to the public."
Air traffic could get affected as air traffic controller hiring and field training would cease, as would routine personnel security background checks and air traffic performance analysis, according to a March 25 update.
