As of 12:01am, just one year after Trump’s inauguration, the federal government has shut down. Democrats and Republicans were not able to reach an agreement that would have kept the government up and running. The two parties continue to be in disagreement over many issues, primarily DACA (Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals) and spending.
How will this affect us? Here is a brief summary of what will be open and what will be closed during this shutdown. Please note, this list does not include “all the things” as many more agencies are affected.
Open
Congress will continue working, but some low-level employees may not get paid.
Active duty military will continue working.
Employees assigned to Federal Financial Aid will continue working, but 90% of the Education Dept Staff will be sent home.
The USDA will continue working to inspect all our meat, eggs, & poultry.
The U.S. Postal Service will be open. They are a privately run entity and will not be affected by the shutdown.
National Parks and Monuments will be open.
Federal Courts will continue business as usual.
Public safety (Federal law enforcement, air traffic controllers, etc) will not be affected.
Airports will remain open.
Social security, disability, and welfare payments will still be issued. Medicare and Medicaid programs will continue to operate.
City govt buildings, local parks, VA hospitals, schools and libraries will remain open.
Closed
Federal office buildings and agencies will be closed. Employees will be sent home. The processing of most visas and passports will be stopped.
Smithsonian museums and national zoo will be closed.
Natural disaster (hurricane, wildfires, mudslides) recovery efforts will be affected as some will be paused.
IRS customer service will be closed, but their automated systems will still be available.
Unbelievable!
I hope this government shutdown ends quickly, and that “we the people” survive it unscathed.
