Government Shutdown FAQ

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Each fiscal year, Congress must pass appropriations bills to fund the federal government and keep agencies operating. In order to avoid a shutdown, appropriations legislation needed to pass both chambers of Congress, and be signed into law by President Trump prior to the new fiscal year beginning on October 1, 2025.

Republicans—who control the House, Senate, and the White House—are refusing to come back to D.C. and have yet to offer a proposal for a bipartisan funding bill that would prevent Affordable Care Act premium increases for over 20 million Americans. I am ready to vote for a bipartisan funding bill that reopens the government, but I will not go along with Republicans' cuts to health care.

During a shutdown, my staff, like many other federal employees, will work without pay and both my DC and Illinois offices will remain fully operational. You can contact my offices with questions or to share your concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Will I continue to receive my Social Security?
Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and SSI checks. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will likely increase.

Will Medicare or Medicaid be interrupted?
Medicare and Medicaid will continue for the foreseeable future, but you may experience difficulty reaching these agencies as some employees are furloughed. The Medicare open enrollment period running from October 15 through December 7 will be unaffected, although communications from the agency may be stalled or outdated.

Will military and federal retiree benefits be suspended?
Military and federal retirees will continue to receive their retirement benefits. Processing new applications or other requested changes could be delayed.

Will Open Enrollment on Healthcare.gov still take place?
The federal insurance marketplace open enrollment will be unaffected. Open Enrollment will proceed as normal from November 1 through January 15.

Is USPS still delivering mail?
All services under the Postal Service will continue unimpacted throughout the government shutdown.

Will my student loans continue to be disbursed?
Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans can continue to be obligated and make disbursement during a shutdown, but only as long as carryover and mandatory appropriations last. However, department staff needed to carry out and support these functions are significantly reduced. Free Applications for Student Aids (FAFSA), Pell Grant, and Federal Direct Student Loans, and servicing of federal student loans could continue for a “very limited time” under a shutdown. If the shutdown continues for an extended period of time, school districts, colleges, and universities may begin to experience funding shortages due to lapsed federal funding.

Do military personnel continue working?
The Department of Defense will continue defending our nation and all military personnel will continue their usual duty. Without intervention by the Majority in Congress, military personnel and federal law enforcement will not be paid until after the shutdown is over.

What is the impact on federal law enforcement?

In previous shutdowns, federal law enforcement was required to work. Like military personnel, they were not paid until after the shutdown ended.

Which federal employees keep working during a government shutdown?

When the government shuts down, federal agencies are required to classify their employees whose salaries have lapsed as either "excepted" or "not excepted." The employees classified as "excepted" work without pay during the shutdown. The employees classified as "not excepted" are put on unpaid furlough. Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, all federal employees must be retroactively paid for the duration of the shutdown upon its conclusion.

Can veterans still get treatment at the VA or access other services?
All functions within the Veterans Health Administration will continue and veterans will continue to receive compensation and pension claims. To learn more about VA services impacted by the shutdown, visit here: https://department.va.gov/contingency-planning/.

Should I cancel my upcoming travel?
You can and should continue to enjoy your travel plans! TSA officers and Air Traffic Controllers are considered essential and are reporting to work throughout the shutdown. However, both TSA and Air Traffic Control are currently working without pay so please have patience with any delays.

I'm coming to DC, will my tours still take place?
Unfortunately, tour guides and visitor centers of DC's government buildings are considered non-essential and have been closed. This means that all tours of the U.S. Capitol and the White House have been canceled during the shutdown.

What about international travel?
All services at international embassies and consulates will continue during a lapse of appropriations. If you are abroad and need help, you can contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Will my passport renewal still be processed?
Passport applications will continue to be processed. The Bureau of Consular Affairs/Passport Services is designated as an essential service provider and is funded through passport fees, so all Passport Services, including agencies and the National Passport Information Center, will remain open during a lapse of appropriations.

Are National Parks closed?

The National Park Service (NPS) sites that cannot practically be blocked off or restricted (e.g., trails, campgrounds, open-air memorials like the National Mall) may remain open to the public. However, staffing and services (e.g., restrooms and visitor centers) will likely be closed. Concession services that do not rely on NPS resources may still operate.

Please exercise caution if you're planning to a NPS site during this time. Visitor centers will be closed, entrance fees won't be collected, educational programs will be canceled, and campsites won't be staffed. In many instances, restrooms will be closed and services like trash collection and road maintenance will be suspended. There are also limited emergency/rescue services and safety updates will not be published. Please keep this in mind when planning any visits or hikes in our National Parks.

I have an issue with a government agency, can I still call them for help?
Due to the lapse in funding, many agencies have furloughed workers so their help desks may have little or no staffing. You are encouraged to contact any agency to learn if they are still able to assist you at this time. You can also contact my office to open a case for you. We can contact an agency on your behalf and provide you with updates if they are open or when they re-open at the conclusion of a shutdown.

I already have a case open with your office, should I do anything during the shutdown?
My office is continuing to submit inquiries to federal agencies including requesting updates on constituents' behalf, submitting paperwork, and opening new cases. We will provide you with an update as soon as it is available.

I rely on food programs like SNAP and WIC, will I keep getting my payments?

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will quickly run out of funding and be unable to provide food for children and parents in need. In the case of a prolonged shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may also be affected.