Various government services are stopped on shutdowns. National parks, airport security lines and clinical trials could be hit.
How government closures will affect you
The federal government plans to close unless Congress passes the suspension spending bill before the deadline.
No Brands – News Value
WASHINGTON – Government closures usually spread in slow motion.
They have every time in recent US history, and the 2025 version doesn’t seem to make a difference as the Trump administration prepares to turn off the lights on various programs and services amid a conflict over federal spending with Senate Democrats.
Without dramatic last minute action before the start of the next fiscal year on October 1st, federal employees who do not protect their jobs or property will be told to leave work. Museums, monuments and national parks are expected to close. Travel can be delayed and popular government websites will not be updated. Maintenance will be postponed at the Veteran Cemetery.
In the long run, Trump is threatening to fire a large number of federal workers and shut down an entire office.
This is a summary of what happens when you close most of the US government.
What happens on the first day of the shutdown?
Furloughed employees usually complete their timesheets for up to four hours on the first day of a shutdown and finish the emergency work.
The federal division historically had discretion to borrow or restructure money from the previous fiscal year that could be carried over to continue operations during the closure. But guidance sent last week by President Donald Trump’s Office of Business and Budget prevents any agency from doing so without the explicit permission of the White House.
Think about self-funded services that are not or are funded as essential through mandatory federal spending – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Postal Service – will halt until government reopens. Veterans benefits and treatment will continue to be available, but career counseling will be suspended and VA’s regional office will be closed.
“Your check will continue, we’ll check it,” Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said from the Senate floor.
Air traffic controllers, Secret Service, TSA and FBI agents, immigration enforcement officers, prison staff, active members of the military and Trump and his top aides are among the federal workers expected to continue working. They receive back pay, but not immediate pay to carry out the closure.
What can you hit in the first week?
When government closures continue over the weekend, various government services will be affected – some of them stand out more than others.
In past closures, trash cans have begun to pile up at national malls and other national landmarks. Cemeteries managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs will no longer be undergoing maintenance.
“You’ll notice the impact,” Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said on the Senate floor.
Additionally, government websites may not be updated and transactions may be delayed until after closing. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says it will not release its monthly employment numbers as planned for October 4th. The Bureau of Economic Analysis, which tracks deficits, foreign trade and US GDP, does not generate data.
Guidance from the Ministry of Education says the investigation into civil rights complaints will be suspended.
The Health and Human Services Department has said it is unable to process requests for public information and that the National Institutes of Health will not approve new patients in clinical research trials. However, it said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to monitor the outbreak.
Participants in the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infant and Children’s Programs may also be affected.
“There are some short-term funds available to them, but long-term closures can affect the benefits of these programs,” said Caleb Quakenbush, associate director of economic programs at the Bipartisan Institute for Policy Research.
Broadly speaking, new contracts and federal grants may not be able to be signed except in certain circumstances. The Pentagon lists exemptions from the regulations if delays pose an immediate risk to human life, property protection, or national security risks.
Also, air transport control workers and TSA agents are considered essential, but some people are not paid and show up for shifts.
The IRS says it will continue to operate for five business days using funds allocated through the Inflation Reduction Act.
The shutdowns have threatened to exacerbate existing staffing shortages and lead to airport security lines, flight delays and cancellations, US Travel Association president Jeff Freeman told Congress in a September 25 letter.
Lags could continue even after funds recover, Freeman said. This is because the hiring and training of new air traffic controllers will also be stopped.
Long-term impacts of shutdown
Trump made history in his first term with a 35-day shutdown. No one knows how long this will last.
The long-term impact could be bitten as scientific research projects stalled and federal courts put some of their operations on hold.
Federal workers could also be hit hard, with the Trump administration threatening to fire people who “do not align with the president’s priorities” if funds expire.
OMB poses a threat in an email sent to its agents last week, and Trump again threw it at Democrats on September 30th.
“We can do things that are irreversible during closures, bad and irreversible for them. They will cut out huge numbers of people, cut out what they like, cut out what they like, cut out the programs they like,” Trump told reporters before the government shut down.
In guidance sent to the agency by the Human Resources Administration on September 28, the White House indicated that there could be a reduction in power notifications before the funding lapse began. The fired employee said he was eligible for a 60-day retroactive salary.
The OPM guidance also included important warnings. Once federal funds are restored, agencies can consider revising their notices to regain “the minimum number of employees required to perform statutory functions.”
