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What stays open and what closes during a government shutdown: Social security, medicare, USPS & more
The US faces a shutdown at midnight Sept 30. Essential services stay open, but many programs pause. Federal workers may go unpaid or be furloughed.
The government will shut down at midnight on Wednesday unless lawmakers reach a deal to extend funding. Essential services will keep running, but many federal programs and workers will be affected.
Let's know what will remain open and closed during the government shutdown.
What stays open:
• Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid: Checks and coverage continue, but delays may happen.
• Air travel: Airports stay open. TSA and air traffic control keep working, but longer lines and delays are possible.
• Military and National Guard: Operations continue. Troops work without pay until the shutdown ends. The Guard still reports for duty.
• Immigration and border agencies: ICE and CBP continue normal operations.
• Postal Service: USPS is not affected since it funds itself.
• SNAP (food stamps): Benefits continue for now, but funding could run out if the shutdown lasts weeks.
What closes or is at risk:
• WIC program: May run out of money within a week.
• Smithsonian museums and National Zoo: Closed. Animals cared for, but live cams shut off.
• National Parks: Plan not clear. In past shutdowns, some stayed open without staff, leading to problems.
• Federal workers: Essential workers keep working without pay until later. Non-essential workers are furloughed, but they will get back pay once the shutdown ends.
Also Read: ‘30 days or jail’: Donald Trump govt's warning to foreign nationals over self deportation
Donald Trump oversaw three government shutdowns
In his first term, Donald Trump oversaw three government shutdowns, the most significant stretching over 36 days before concluding in January 2019. That particular impasse stemmed from a standoff with Congress regarding funding for a proposed US Mexico border wall. The Congressional Budget Office later reported that the prolonged closure shaved approximately 11 billion dollars off the economy, with 3 billion of that lost permanently.
Back in the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan experienced a higher number of shutdowns, eight in total, but each was relatively brief compared to the Trump era disruptions.
