The U.S. Government Has Shut Down. Here's What to Know
The United States government entered a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday following the failure of both Republican and Democratic funding proposals in the Senate. Attempts to pass short-term legislation to keep federal operations running collapsed late Tuesday night, prompting an official shutdown declaration by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The U.S. government shut down after Senate funding bills failed. Millions face unpaid work, with key services disrupted across the country.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Negotiations fell apart over core policy differences. Democrats pushed a bill that would extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts. Republicans, meanwhile, backed a temporary funding measure without those provisions. Neither gained enough support to move forward.
Federal agencies were ordered to begin implementing contingency plans. As many as four million federal employees could miss paychecks, including essential personnel who are still required to report to work. This includes airport security officers, air traffic controllers, active-duty military members, and ICE agents. National parks and museums such as those operated by the Smithsonian Institution are expected to close within days.
Roughly 2 million military personnel, including deployed National Guard members, are expected to continue their duties without pay if Congress fails to approve new funding. The Pentagon confirmed that while paychecks are secure for October 1, continued payment depends on further legislative action. The Department of Defense has prioritized missions related to national security, including border protection and the "Golden Dome" missile defense system.
Federal contractors and hourly workers like janitors and security guards will not be required to work and are not guaranteed back pay. In contrast, members of Congress will continue to receive their annual salaries.
Major social safety net programs—Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—will remain operational. However, delays are anticipated in processing replacement cards and benefit verifications. The WIC program, supporting low-income women and children, faces potential funding shortages if the shutdown continues beyond a week.
The Department of Health and Human Services plans to retain 59% of its workforce, with around 12,000 employees working without pay. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will operate with only 36% of staff, while the FDA’s food safety operations will scale back significantly, especially those overseeing pre-market safety reviews for livestock products.
Justice Department operations related to national security and law enforcement will largely continue. Civil litigation and other non-essential services may be postponed. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, over 60,000 immigration hearings were canceled.
The Department of Labor, tasked with producing key employment data, will halt all active data collection. The jobs report scheduled for Friday is expected to be delayed.
Air travel will continue during the shutdown, but Transportation Security Administration employees—nearly 95% of the workforce—must work without pay. Over 13,000 air traffic controllers are in the same position. Past shutdowns saw increased absenteeism among these employees, which led to airport delays and temporary flight disruptions.
Postal services will remain unaffected, as the U.S. Postal Service is funded independently.
Local officials in Washington, D.C., will handle services typically provided by the federal government. City leaders are preparing to manage operations like trash collection and marriage licensing, if federal agencies close. Nonprofit organizations across the region are already seeing increased demand for food assistance as families prepare for the financial impact.
During the last government shutdown in 2018, the economy lost an estimated $3 billion in unrecoverable economic activity, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Federal workers and contractors struggled with basic expenses, and many turned to food banks to feed their families.
The Supreme Court will largely remain unaffected. Justices and federal judges continue to receive pay, but thousands of judiciary staff may be furloughed without pay. In 1995, a similar funding lapse forced the judiciary to scale back for three weeks.
This shutdown marks the 21st since 1977 and comes amid a deep partisan divide in Congress. Leaders from both parties have indicated they may revisit the failed funding proposals as early as Wednesday, but no compromise has been reached.
Officials warn that if the shutdown extends, impacts could deepen across sectors, from national security to public health, transportation, and beyond. Federal employees across all 50 states are bracing for what could become a prolonged disruption.
