A government shutdown happens when Congress does not pass appropriations bills: bills that finance the operation of the government for the upcoming fiscal year. These bills are designed to fund the government until the conclusion of each fiscal year, which ends on September 30. When new appropriations legislation is not enacted by this deadline, Congress needs to pass a temporary measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which sustains the government's funding at its current level. In January, President Biden signed a CR to fund the government through the beginning of March. With the March deadline looming, and no new appropriations bill or CR in place, the government faces a shutdown due to lack of authorized funding.
If Congress is unable to pass appropriations bills that are then signed into law by the President by March 1st at 11:59pm, the government will begin to shut down. The most recent CR created a two-tiered deadline for a government shutdown. On March 2nd at 12:01am ET, the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Transportation, Military Construction and Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans Administration, as well as other programs, will all shut down. Funding for the rest of the government, including the departments of Commerce, Justice, State, Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services and Congress expires a week later, on March 9th at 12:01am.
My offices will remain open and ready to help in any way possible in the event that we go into a government shutdown. Our Allentown, Easton, Lehighton, and Washington, D.C. teams will be available to answer questions and direct you to resources.
I understand the dire consequences a government shutdown would have on our nation and our economy. I have previously voted for continuing resolutions to keep up government funded, and I will continue to support bipartisan solutions to keep our government running for the American people.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Will I continue to receive my Social Security check or Medicare?
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other mandatory programs will continue to operate. Be aware that new benefit verification and card issuance services will cease, meaning new recipients could see delays in processing new applications.
Q: What is the impact on veterans' services?
Veterans healthcare will not be impacted and burials in VA national cemeteries will continue. The VA will also continue to deliver benefits and process appeals. Regional offices will be closed, and some services will be impacted, including outreach, transition assistance, and career counseling.
Q: What is the impact on U.S. military personnel?
Members of the military would continue to protect national security interests but will not receive pay during a shutdown. 30,378 active duty and reserve personnel serving our nation's armed forces in Pennsylvania would be forced to go without the pay they earn during a shutdown. Additionally, military training operations may be affected, impacting long term readiness.
Q: What is the impact on small businesses?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will not accept, review or approve new business loans, a program that provides $766,861,200 in funding to small businesses in Pennsylvania every year. Many small businesses rely on these loans to keep their doors open. A shutdown would also disrupt the average $13 billion per week in federal contracts that go to businesses across the country, nearly $3 billion of which goes to small businesses.
Q: How will children and families be affected by a shutdown?
Up to 10,000 children could lose access to Head Start services during a shutdown. SNAP payments will continue as normal. However, other nutrition programs, like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will only continue at the state and local level. In Pennsylvania, that means 177,335 recipients are at risk of losing nutrition assistance.
Q: How will a shutdown impact public health efforts?
A shutdown could delay research on cancer, Alzhiemer’s, and other diseases funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Food and Drug Administration would be able to respond to foodborne outbreaks but would be unable to complete proactive inspections. Access to safe drinking water may also be impacted as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be unable to inspect sites.
Q: How will a shutdown affect travel?
During a shutdown, federal air traffic controllers and TSA agents will continue to work, although travelers may experience longer lines and delays in airports. Passports and visas may also have longer processing times.
Q: Will I receive my tax refund if I’m still waiting on it now?
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contingency plan, the IRS will not process tax refunds except in cases with electronically filed, error-free refunds that can be automatically direct deposited. In addition, taxpayer phone calls will go unanswered and the Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country would close. To check the state of your refund: Where's My Refund? | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)
Q: Will federal workers be paid?
72,192 federal workers in Pennsylvania would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.
Q: What other government services will be impacted by a shutdown?
National parks, monuments, and Smithsonian museums risk closures in the event of a shutdown.
Q: Which other government services will NOT be impacted by a shutdown?
Federal law enforcement officials will continue to work, and federal criminal prosecutions will proceed during a shutdown. Federal courthouses have funding to remain open until October 13. Additionally, embassies and consulates overseas will remain open to serve Americans abroad.
Q: Will I still receive my mail?
The U.S. Postal Service is funded independently from the appropriations process and will not be affected during a government shutdown.
Q: Will my student loans be impacted by a shutdown?
Federal Direct Student Loans and Pell Grants will continue to be disbursed during a shutdown as long as mandatory appropriations last, but Department of Education staff will be operating at a reduced capacity.
Q: Will immigration applications be processed during a shutdown?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will operate as normal during a government shutdown, with the exception of programs which rely on appropriated funding, including E-Verify. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will retain the vast majority of their employees during a shutdown.
Q: What does a government shutdown cost?
In addition to disrupting federal agencies and employees, a government shutdown would have significant negative impacts on the economy. The 2018-2019 government shutdown is estimated to have cost $11 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). It’s estimated that the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion. From the last three shutdowns, government agencies lost just under 57,000 years of productivity from furloughed federal workers. And, a shutdown could further affect our nation’s credit rating. The credit agency Fitch already downgraded U.S. treasuries in the aftermath of the latest debt limit crisis, and a government shutdown would create more doubt about whether the United States can reliably manage our finances.
