Government Shutdown Information and Resources

Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income checks.

However, customer service wait times are expected to increase dramatically, and the Social Security Administration will stop services like benefit verifications, replacement of Medicare cards, and overpayments processing. For inquiries about your application, please contact our Rhode Island office at (401) 453-5294

Current Medicare, Medicaid, and disability insurance beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits, assuming a Republican shutdown lasts less than three months.

However, nearly half of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services staff will be furloughed, and certain services will be paused, leading to longer wait times. 

All Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits will continue to be processed, and VA medical facilities and clinics will remain OPEN. However, VA call centers, hotlines, and regional offices will be temporarily closed.

Veterans will be affected by the Republican shutdown of other services they count on, including transition program assistance and career counseling.

All active-duty military personnel, including National Guard members and Reservists on active-duty orders, are required to work without pay for the duration of a Republican shutdown. Many Department of Defense civilian employees will be furloughed.

Service members’ health care will also be affected. On-base elective surgery and other routine dental and medical services will cease. However, off-base care covered by TRICARE will not be affected. Child care centers on military bases will remain open on a case-by-case basis. 

Federal law enforcement officers are also required to work without pay.

Yes, post offices will remain open and mail delivery will continue. The Republican shutdown does not impact the United States Postal Service.

Air travel will continue, but may be impacted. Travelers may experience longer wait times at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, or delays and cancellations due to staffing issues. Air traffic controllers, TSA officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents will remain on the job without pay. If some airport employees do not report to work, as occurred during previous shutdowns, there will be significant delays and longer wait times across the country.

TSA will still accept online applications for TSA PreCheck, but the Department of Homeland Security has suspended Global Entry applications. 

The Department of Agriculture has not published updated guidance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue operating during a Republican shutdown. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will continue dispersing benefits. However, funding for these programs may run out during a prolonged Republican shutdown, forcing program operations and benefits to stop. 

The majority of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will be required to work and respond to emergencies without pay. However, long-term and non-life saving projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop inspecting most hazardous waste sites, drinking water, and chemical facilities. Efforts to address dangerous contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which is linked to severe health effects, including cancer, will be delayed, and cleanup activities at Superfund sites will slow or cease.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has not posted updated guidance.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to guarantee home loans, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will continue to offer single-family loans. But, FHA, HUD, and the Department of Agriculture may stop processing and insuring other new mortgages. 

Funding for federal housing assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, may be jeopardized in a prolonged Republican shutdown.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) will stop processing applications for new business loans through the 7(a) and 504 programs. However, SBA’s Disaster Loan Program will continue operations with reduced staff. Borrowers are still required to make payments on SBA loans during a Republican shutdown. 

Consular, passport, and visa services are expected to continue. 

During a prolonged Republican shutdown, however, it may take longer to get a passport or visa. 

Since many federal buildings are expected to be closed, in-person appointments at passport agencies located in some government buildings may be limited

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) remains open and continues to process applications. You should expect to attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at (202) 224-2921 or (401) 453-5294 with any questions or concerns.

The Republican shutdown will not immediately affect any state or local services. 

However, without federal funding, some state or local governments may have to change their operations. Check with state and local agencies for specific questions. 

You are always encouraged to submit grant applications ahead of the deadline. Grants.gov is operational. However, there may be limited staff available to provide assistance. The Grants.gov Contact Center phone number is 1-(800)-518-GRANTS, and email Support@Grants.gov.  

The Department of the Interior has not published updated shutdown guidance. 

Across the country, services that require National Park Service staff — including trash removal and operating campgrounds and concessions — may be stopped. Closures will likely be determined on a location-by-location basis; open-air parks and monuments in Washington, D.C. will likely remain accessible. 

We recommend you verify the status of an attraction by visiting their website or contacting them directly before visiting.

Many popular attractions will be affected. The Capitol Visitor Center will be closed, and there will be no staff-led public tours of the U.S. Capitol Building. The Library of Congress, U.S. Botanic Garden, White House, National Archives, Supreme Court, Treasury, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be closed to tours. 

The Smithsonian museums and National Zoo are allowed to continue operating on reserve funds, but will close to the public during a prolonged Republican shutdown when that funding is gone. The Smithsonian museums and National Zoo have not announced how long they will be able to remain open.

If you booked tours through my office and wish to reschedule, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-2921. We encourage you to contact the attraction you want to visit for more information before your trip.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (202) 224-2921 or (401) 453-5294 with your questions.