Is a government shutdown coming?

WASHINGTON−Congress has three days to cut a deal and prevent a government shutdown that would impact millions of Americans.

As of Wednesday morning, lawmakers have made little progress towards averting a crisis that would hit homes across the country Oct. 1.

While it wouldn’t be as far reaching as the debt ceiling threat in late May, a shutdown would deeply impact Americans who need the most help: newborns who need infant formula, children who need nutrition assistance, low-income families who rely on Head Start programs for preschool, college students who receive federal grants to pay for their education, people who receive food stamps and more.

As lawmakers continue to fight on Capitol Hill, the country they serve is bracing for a government shutdown that would delay and disrupt American life.

Here’s the latest on the government shutdown fight, where lawmakers are and how it affects you.

Latest updates on the government shutdown

House Republicans took a small victory lap Tuesday night when they successfully passed a procedural vote for four out of 12 spending bills, and a bipartisan group of senators touted their short-term solution − referred to as a continuing resolution − to keep the government open. But neither chamber moved closer to avoiding a shutdown.

What House Republicans have proposed won’t pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, and even the bipartisan stopgap measure from the Senate wouldn’t pass the House.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he will put the House’s version of a continuing resolution up for a vote Friday − two days before a shutdown would begin.

But a handful of ultraconservative lawmakers have already said they would not support a continuing resolution under any circumstances, furthering the Washington gridlock that has big impacts for people at home.

−Ken Tran and Candy Woodall

Will a government shutdown affect food stamps and WIC?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, will continue for at least the month of October, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a press briefing Monday. But he warned that “if the shutdown were to extend longer than that, there would be some serious consequences to SNAP.”

Funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children − better known as WIC − will stop “immediately when the shutdown occurs,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a contingency fund that may extend the program for a day or two, and some states may have leftover WIC benefits not spent that could extend the program for a week or so in that state.

“But the vast majority of WIC participants would see an immediate reduction and elimination of those benefits, which means the nutrition assistance that’s provided would not be available,” Vilsack said.

−Sudiksha Kochi

What is a government shutdown?

A government shutdown means all federal agencies and services officials don’t deem “essential” have to stop their work and close their doors.

Some of those essential services include the U.S. Postal Service delivering mail and people receiving Medicare and Social Security benefits. Those will continue whether or not the government shuts down.

But so-called “non-essential” work can still have significant impacts for federal employees and Americans across the country. Thousands of federal workers would be furloughed, government food assistance benefits could be delayed and some food safety inspections could also be put on pause.

– Marina Pitofsky

What is the meaning of furloughed?

A furlough occurs when an employee is required to take a mandatory and temporary unpaid leave of absence from their work. An employer can furlough employees to cut back costs or manage operations during a potential government shutdown.

A furlough is different from a layoff, which are permanent terminations in which employees can’t return back to work.

-Sudiksha Kochi

How does the government shutdown affect me?

Millions of Americans would be impacted by a government shutdown.

Federal workers would be furloughed without pay. “Essential” federal workers, such as those who work for the post office for the Federal Aviation Administration, would work without pay — but would receive backpay once a shutdown ends. Numerous subcontractors would be out of work and would not receive backpay.

The impact would stretch far beyond federal workers though. It would also be felt in millions of homes across America:

Funding for WIC − the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children − would stop immediately
Food stamp benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would remain intact in October but could be impacted after that
Children from low-income families would lose access to Head Start preschool programs
College students could see delays in their student loans
The Food and Drug Administration would delay nonessential food safety inspections
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration would limit its work
Travelers could see delays with receiving passports
National parks could close
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would have no money for disaster relief

−Candy Woodall

Would a government shutdown affect air travel?

The deepest impact would not be on your flight or cruise.

Funding to agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection would be on hold. However, the agents who you typically interact with at airports and seaports, and the controllers who oversee your flights are considered essential and will be working without pay during the shutdown.

Impacts on those agencies have more to do with things like hiring and training. All the crucial safety functions like inspections and air traffic control continue.

Consular operations in the U.S. and internationally will also continue normally “as long as there are sufficient fees” collected to support them, according to the most recent guidance from the State Department. “This includes passports, visas, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad.”

There could be economic repercussions, though. A government shutdown is estimated to cost the country’s travel economy as much as $140 million per day, according to an analysis for the U.S. Travel Association.

− Zach Wichter and Nathan Diller

When would a government shutdown start?

A government shutdown would start Sunday if lawmakers cannot pass a federal budget or stopgap measure by Sept. 30.

The stopgap, known as a continuing resolution, would prevent an Oct. 1 shutdown by temporarily extending government funding.

−Savannah Kuchar

What would happen if the government shuts down?

In a government shutdown, all federal agencies that are not “essential” — think U.S. Postal Service, Medicare and Social Security — would stop work.

This means thousands of federal employees would be on furlough and Americans would go without government benefits such as food and housing support.

Air travel will be generally spared: Air traffic controllers and TSA agents will continue working, though without pay. Travelers may also contend with longer wait times and flight delays.

− Savannah Kuchar

How long would the government shutdown last?

Government funding is set to expire on Oct. 1. How long a potential shutdown will last depends on how soon the House and Senate are able to pass a new appropriations plan that President Joe Biden signs.

The length of past government shutdowns have varied, lasting from five days to 21 days.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL., said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that if the departments of Labor and Education “have to shut down for a few days as we get their appropriations in line, that’s certainly not something that is optimal.”

“But I think it’s better than continuing on the current path we are to America’s financial ruin,” Gaetz said.

−Sudiksha Kochi

How long was the last government shutdown?

The last government shutdown lasted from Dec. 22, 2018 to Jan. 25, 2019. Spanning 35 days, it was the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

It was also the third federal shutdown to occur during the Trump administration; the first lasted three days in January 2018, and the second lasted only a few hours in February 2018.

−Olivia Munson

Government shutdown history chart

Over the last five decades, there have been 21 federal shutdowns:

1976: Under President Gerald Ford. Lasted for 11 days.
1977: Under President Jimmy Carter. Lasted 12 days.
1977: Under President Carter. Lasted eight days.
1977: Under President Carter. Lasted eight days.
1978: Under President Carter. Lasted 17 days.
1979: Under President Carter. Lasted 11 days.
1981: Under President Ronald Reagan. Lasted two days.
1982: Under President Reagan. Lasted one day.
1982: Under President Reagan. Lasted three days.
1983: Under President Reagan. Lasted three days.
1984: Under President Reagan. Lasted two days.
1984: Under President Reagan. Lasted one day.
1986: Under President Reagan. Lasted one day.
1987: Under President Reagan. Lasted one day.
1990: Under George H.W. Bush. Lasted four days.
1995: Under President Bill Clinton. Lasted five days.
1996: Under President Clinton. Lasted 21 days.
2013: Under President Barack Obama. Lasted 17 days.
2018: Under President Donald Trump. Lasted three days.
2018: Under President Trump. Lasted several hours.
2019: Under Trump. Lasted 35 days.

-Olivia Munson

Why Moody’s says a government shutdown could hurt U.S. credit rating

The country’s credit rating could face additional pressure if the government shuts down next week, according to a new report from Moody’s Investors Service.

While a short-lived shutdown would not impact government debt service payments and isn’t expected to disrupt the economy, Moody’s said it would “underscore the weakness” of U.S. institutional and governance strength compared to countries with similar credit ratings.

“In particular, it would demonstrate the significant constraints that intensifying political polarization put on fiscal policymaking at a time of declining fiscal strength,” Moody’s report reads.

If the potential shutdown does drag on, it would “likely be disruptive both to the US economy and financial markets,” although Moody’s notes that any government shutdown is more likely to be brief and concentrated in areas with a large government presence, like Washington, D.C.

− Bailey Schulz

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