Starting at midnight on October 1st, the federal government shut down due to a lapse in funding, requiring various federal agencies to provide only essential services until funding is restored. Both the House and the Senate are working towards a solution to reopen the government.
My Washington and Colorado offices are available to assist you and your family. Details for contacting my offices are available HERE.
Below are resources and answers to frequently asked questions to help address uncertainty surrounding the shutdown:
Resources & FAQ
What is a federal government shutdown? And who will be affected?
- Every year, Congress must pass legislation to fund government operations for the upcoming fiscal year. If a new appropriations bill isn’t enacted by the deadline, Congress needs to pass a temporary measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which sustains the government’s funding at its current level. In the absence of an approved appropriations bill or a CR, the government faces a shutdown due to a lack of authorized funding.
- Each government agency has its own contingency plans for how to operate during a federal shutdown. Many agencies will have to stop or reduce the essential services they provide during this lapse in funding, as well as furlough non-essential employees and have essential employees work without pay.
I submitted an inquiry to a federal agency through your office. What will happen during the shutdown?
- Our office is continuing to submit inquiries to federal agencies on constituents’ behalf, but things will vary from agency to agency. Some agencies will process cases, while others will not. Generally speaking, you should expect delays. Please contact our office for specific details about your case. We will provide you with an update as soon as it is available.
I’m traveling to Washington, D.C. – will my tours still take place?
- Unfortunately, no. The tour guides and visitor centers of federal government buildings are considered non-essential and will be closed during a shutdown. This means that all tours of the U.S. Capitol, White House, and FBI Building will be canceled during a shutdown
Do national parks and monuments close?
- National park 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. Many services and facilities may be affected – including visitor centers, educational programs, restrooms, trash collection, and road maintenance. There may also be limited emergency/rescue services, and safety updates would not be published. Please keep this in mind when planning any visits to national parks.
I would like to purchase a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Can I still request one?
- No. The U.S. Capitol Flag Office will be closed during the shutdown, so flag requests cannot be processed.
I am a federal employee. Will I receive back pay for furloughed days?
- Yes. After the 2018-2019 partial shutdown, Congress passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which requires retroactive pay for furloughed employees following the end of a government shutdown. Generally, benefits such as health insurance continue during a shutdown furlough; however, federal employees may need to wait until they are returned to pay status before they can adjust their benefits.
- The Office of Personnel Management’s website also provides general guidance.
I am a government contractor. What should I expect?
- Government facilities will be closed. No new contracts or modifications will be issued, and there will be delays in the acquisition process for procurements.
Will I continue to receive my Social Security?
- A shutdown is not expected to impact Social Security benefit payments. Please be aware that new benefit verification and card issuance services cease during a shutdown, meaning new recipients may see delays in processing their claims.
I rely on food programs like SNAP and WIC – will I keep getting my payments?
- 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.
Does USPS still deliver mail?
- All services under the U.S. Postal Service should continue during a government shutdown.
Will Medicare or Medicaid be interrupted?
- Medicare and Medicaid should continue during a federal government shutdown, but you may experience difficulty reaching these agencies, as some employees are furloughed. Some communications from the agency may be stalled or outdated.
Do military personnel continue working?
- The Department of Defense will continue defending our nation, and all military personnel will continue their usual duty. However, servicemembers will not receive pay during a government shutdown.
Can veterans still get treatment at VA or access other services?
- In the case of a government shutdown, there should be no expected impact on Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, and almost all of VHA employees will remain on the job. However, employees performing medical and prosthetic research would be furloughed.
- Access to benefits under the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) should continue.
- The National Cemetery Administration’s (NCA) burial, scheduling of burials, first notice of death, and headstone processing functions should continue. Oversight and direct administration of the NCA program offices (Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, Engagement and Memorial Innovations, Cemetery Development and Improvement Service, Finance, Legislative and Regulatory Service, etc.) would cease.
What will be the impact on federal housing loans?
- During a federal government shutdown, the Federal Housing Administration will stop approving applications for housing loans. This will create major delays for the approvals of development, rehabilitation, and refinancing of properties.
Should I cancel my upcoming travel plans?
- You can and should continue to enjoy your travel plans. TSA officers and air traffic controllers are considered essential and will report to work throughout a shutdown. However, both TSA officers and air traffic controllers would work without pay during a shutdown, so please have patience with any delays.
- Passport applications should continue to be processed during a shutdown. The Bureau of Consular Affairs/Passport Services is designated as an essential service provider and is funded through passport fees, so all of Passport Services, including agencies and the National Passport Information Center, should remain open during a federal government shutdown.
- All services at international embassies and consulates should continue during a shutdown. If you are abroad and need help, you can contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Will immigration applications still be processed?
- Visa and passport operations are fee-funded and not normally impacted by a shutdown. Immigration court cases on the detained docket should still proceed during a lapse in congressional appropriations, while non-detained docket cases will be reset for a later date when funding resumes. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement should retain the vast majority of their employees during a shutdown.
Will I receive my tax refund?
- During previous federal shutdowns, taxpayer phone calls, taxpayer disputes, and tax refunds were delayed.
What does this mean for disaster relief efforts?
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff should still respond to emergencies, but all long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund.
Will student loans continue to be disbursed?
- Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans should still continue to be obligated and disbursed during a federal shutdown, but only as long as carryover and mandatory appropriations last.
- Department staff needed to carry out and support these functions are significantly reduced during a federal shutdown. Free Applications for Student Aid (FAFSA), Pell Grant, and Federal Direct Student Loans, and servicing of federal student loans should continue for a “very limited time” under a shutdown. If a federal government shutdown continues for an extended period of time, school districts, colleges, and universities may begin to experience funding shortages due to lapsed federal funding.
What is the impact on small businesses?
- A federal government shutdown will impact federal loans to small businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will not accept, review, or approve any new business loans for small businesses.