2025 Government Shutdown

Resources for Constituents During the Government Shutdown

A message from Rep. Magaziner:

The federal government has shut down, as the Republican-controlled Congress has failed to pass a budget for the new fiscal year. 

Until Congressional Republicans return to Washington and we pass a budget to keep the government open, I will keep you informed about what the government shutdown means for Rhode Island. 

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the President has significant discretion to determine government operations on an ongoing basis during a government shutdown. The Trump Administration has indicated they will break with precedent and may fire many federal employees during a shutdown. It is difficult to predict what else the Trump Administration may do that is outside of normal procedures. This page will be updated as more information becomes available. 

Please contact our office for further assistance.  

FAQs: 

What is a federal government shutdown? 

Many federal government agencies and programs rely on funding that needs to be passed by Congress and signed into law by the president annually. A government shutdown happens when a government funding bill is not passed by the end of the fiscal year (Sep. 30) or when Congress does not pass a stopgap to keep the government temporarily funded until a year-long agreement on funding levels can be reached. During a shutdown, federal agencies must discontinue non-essential functions until new funding legislation is passed. Essential services – many of which are related to public safety – continue to operate with backpay. 

Will I continue to receive my Social Security and SSI checks?

Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and SSI checks.  The Social Security Administration (SSA) will continue providing limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop some activities like benefit verifications and processing overpayments and the public will likely experience increased wait times for customer service. 

Will Medicare and Medicaid benefits be affected?

Medicare and Medicaid current beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits.

What is the impact on veterans' services?

All Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and clinics will remain fully operational. The VA will continue to process veterans’ compensation and pension and housing benefits.

What is the impact on U.S. military personnel and federal law enforcement?

In previous shutdowns, all active-duty and Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders were required to report to work. Federal law enforcement was also required to work. Both military personnel and federal law enforcement will not be paid until after the shutdown is over.

Will my mail still arrive?

Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is not affected by a shutdown.

Will commercial air travel be affected?

In prior shutdowns, air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents remained on the job. However, like all federal employees, they will not be paid until the shutdown is over.

Will passport and visa services continue? 

Consular operations domestically and abroad will remain operational. This includes passports, visas, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad. However, processing times may be delayed.  

What is the impact on federal housing loans?

In prior shutdowns, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) stopped insuring some new mortgages and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) stopped processing some new loans. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) also stopped new loan and loan guarantee activity. The VA is expected to continue to guarantee home loans.

What is the impact on disaster relief efforts?

FEMA staff will still respond to emergencies. The Disaster Relief Fund will continue operations. 

Will my Washington, D.C. tours still take place?

The tour guides and visitor centers of federal government buildings are considered non-essential and will be closed during a shutdown. This means that all tours of the U.S. Capitol, White House, and FBI Building will be canceled during a shutdown. 

Further Details: 

• Airports, Travel, and Passports
• Education
• Equal Employment Opportunity Comission (EEOC) Claims
• Federal Courts
• Federal Employees
• Food Assistance
• Health Care
• Housing
• Immigration
• IRS
• Law Enforcement
• Labor
• Medicare
• Military and Veteran Services
• National Parks and Monuments
• Postal Mail Delivery
• Small Businesses
• Social Security

Airport, Travel, and Passports

• Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to work but will not be paid after the government shutdown ends, which may lead to staffing shortages.
  • Passengers should arrive at the airport early and prepare for delays in security and customs. In previous shutdowns, a lack of air traffic controllers have caused some major airports to limit the number of flights in and out.
• Department of State consular operations domestically and abroad will remain operational. This includes processing passports, visas, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad.
• Processing time for passport applications may be delayed due to staffing shortages and facility closures.
  • Contact your local passport center here for more information.
  • For time-sensitive help obtaining a passport, contact my congressional office at 401-244-1201.
• TSA PreCheck screen lanes will remain operational and applications for TSA PreCheck are expected to proceed.
• Processing of online applications for Global Entry may be delayed.
• Amtrak continues to transport passengers, and employees continue to receive pay; however, a lengthy shutdown may disrupt train schedules.

Education

• Federal student aid, including Pell Grants and Direct Student Loan payments, will continue to be disbursed so long as funding is available. Student loan borrowers will still be required to make payments on their outstanding student debt. Students should contact their college or university for specific questions about federal financial aid.
• States, schools, and other grantees will continue to be able to draw down funds awarded over the summer. Title I and IDEA grant funding will remain available. The Department of Education would cease new grantmaking activities.
• The Office for Civil Rights has paused its review of civil rights complaints.
• As the shutdown continues, Head Start grants may not be awarded, which could cause strain to childcare providers and their employees, and may result in disruption of service.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Claims

• The EEOC staff will not be available to the public for the duration of the shutdown.
• Individuals who wish to file charges may do so here during the shutdown.
  • However, investigations will not begin until the government reopens. Ensure that you keep copies of all submitted paperwork and confirmation receipts.
• EEOC litigation is suspended unless needed on an emergency basis.
• Federal Sector Hearings are canceled, and federal employee claims won’t be decided.

Federal Courts

• Criminal litigation will continue without interruption, civil litigation will be curtailed or postponed until funding is available. If a court denies a litigator’s request to postpone a case and orders it to continue, the litigation will become an excepted activity that can continue during the lapse..
• All deadlines remain in effect as scheduled, but please check the local court or office for information specific to your needs.
• Case Management/Electronic Case Files remain open to those who may fill out court documentation electronically.

Federal Employees

• When there is a government shutdown, federal agencies are required to classify their employees as either "essential" or "non-essential." The employees classified as "essential" continue to work during the shutdown. Employees classified as "non-essential" will be furloughed.
  • Both furloughed federal employees and employees who have been deemed essential are guaranteed retroactive compensation for payment during the days of a government shutdown.
• Federal Retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will continue receiving their scheduled pension payments on time.

Food Assistance

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Nutrition (CN) Programs, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) recipients will receive benefits until funding runs out.
• For households that need food assistance, please refer to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services for programs available during the shutdown.
  • A list of Rhode Island food pantries and soup kitchens can be found here, and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s website is here.

Health care

• If you have a private health insurance plan through your employer or directly from a provider, your coverage will remain active and is not impacted by the government shutdown.
• There is no disruption to the processing and payment of Medicare claims during the government shutdown.
  • Existing Medicare Patients can still see their healthcare provider, and those providers continue to submit bills and receive payments for their services.
  • However, it will likely be more challenging to reach a Medicare representative on the phone as a number of customer service employees have been furloughed.
• Medicaid is a state administered program, individuals with Medicaid coverage will not face any immediate effects of a government shutdown.
• Federal employees maintain their health insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program during a government shutdown.
• Nearly half of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be furloughed, agencies within HHS will continue core functions to handle and respond to emergencies.
• The National Institute of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue baseline research and clinical activities.
• A list of community health centers and free clinics can be found here.
  • More information on free health services can be found here and here.

Housing

• For those experiencing housing insecurity, Rhode Island rental assistance, eviction resources, and foreclosure/homeownership retention assistance can be found here.
  • Rhode Island Emergency/Homeless Assistance can be found here.
  • A list of RI emergency shelters and resources can be found here.
• Much of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) activities supporting Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) portfolio of insured mortgages, as well as Ginnie Mae’s work within the secondary mortgage market, which are vital to the stability and liquidity of the national economy will continue during a lapse.
• The majority of HUD annual grant programs, such as those that provide for emergency housing for the homeless and persons living with HIV/AIDS, will continue to operate in states and local communities across the country where such grant funding has already been obligated before the lapse occurred. 
• Monthly subsidy programs such as public housing operating subsidies, housing choice voucher subsidies, and multifamily assistance contracts will continue to operate for as long as funding remains available.
• Many of HUD’s programs addressing imminent threats to the health and welfare of HUD tenants and children will continue where such grant funding has already been obligated before the lapse occurs.
• Nearly all of HUD’s fair housing activities have ceased.
• The FHA will have staff shortages, so expect a possible delay in processing FHA-insured loans.
  • If you are facing foreclosure on an FHA-backed loan, these losses will continue regardless of the government shutdown.
• HUD has limited staff to answer emergency questions and won’t be able to answer case-specific questions. The HUD/FHA Resources Center can be reached at 1-800-225-5342 or answers@hud.gov
  • The Resource Center FAQ site: www.hud.gov/answers
• In the past, all HUD Regional Offices were closed. 

Immigration

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) activities, which are funded by the Immigration Examinations Fee Account, will continue and remain operational.
• Programs that receive government funding under USCIS will be suspended: E-Verify, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, Conrad 30 J-1 doctors, and non-minister religious workers.
• ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) will continue during a shutdown.
• Individuals who seek to apply for an immigration benefit at a port-of-entry or a pre-clearance facility (such as TN and L-1 applications for Canadian nationals) need to confirm the operational status of the location at which they intend to apply for the latest information.

IRS

• The Internal Revenue Service received advanced supplemental funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and normal IRS operations will continue for now. 

Law Enforcement

• National security operations and Federal law enforcement will not be impacted, training for law enforcement will be postponed.
• Federal prisons will continue operating.

Labor

• All worker protection agency investigations will cease unless they involve responding to or preventing fatalities, catastrophes, or imminent danger.
• The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, charged with promoting labor-management cooperation, is operating at limited capacity.
• DOL will continue to provide support for the payment of benefits for which funding has not lapsed, including Black Lung Benefits Act, Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, War Hazards Compensation Act and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program.
• Suspended activities: Processing of prevailing wage, PERM labor certification, and other operations of the DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC).

Military and Veterans Services

• Active-duty U.S. military personnel remain on the job and will receive backpay.
• Many civilian personnel, including military technicians, will be furloughed.
• All military retirees will continue to receive pensions on time.
• Disability compensation, education and housing assistance will continue as normal.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will continue to provide consistent, high-quality medical care and services, compensation and pension benefits, housing, and burial services.
• Veteran medical care and critical services within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will continue, including suicide prevention programs, homelessness programs, the Veterans Crisis Line and caregiver support.
• The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will continue various benefit functions, such as education benefit claims processing and payments, insurance processing, loan guaranty programs, Veteran readiness and employment payment processing, VBA National Call Centers (except for education), compensation and pension claims processing and payments, decision review operations centers and management.
• The VBA will cease certain functions, including the Education Call Center (the GI Bill Hotline: 888-GIBILL-1 or 888-442-4551); Transition Assistance Programs (TAP); The Native American Veterans Direct Loan program (NAVDL) and the Vendee Loan program which offers direct loans.
• Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Hospitals remain open. Expect delays in scheduling new appointments.
• VA Home Loan documentation may be delayed, and individuals should contact the VA Home Loan hotline at 1-877-827-3702 for additional information.

National Parks and Monuments

• In previous shutdowns, open-air parks and monuments in Washington, D.C. remained open. 
• Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo will use prior-year funds to remain open to the public during the federal government shutdown at least through Monday, October 6, 2025. After funding runs out, they will likely be closed to the public.  Check the Smithsonian website for updates.
• As a general rule, federally-operated presidential libraries will be closed or operating until they run out of funding, and privately run presidential libraries will remain unaffected. 
  • Presidential libraries that will be open: the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum will be open through 10/15/25 with the potential for an extension; the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum;  the George H.W. Bush Library and Museum; and the privately run George W. Bush Museum. 
• In previous shutdowns, the majority of National Park Service sites closed to public access during a government shutdown. The ones that remained open were left understaffed and unprotected, and the damage that occurred was irreversible or took parks many months to recover from. Prehistoric petroglyphs were vandalized, battlefield artifacts were stolen, Joshua trees were cut down and illegal off-roading vehicles drove through fragile archaeological sites. 
• As a general rule, if a NPS facility or area is locked or secured during non-business hours, it is locked or secured for the duration of the shutdown. 
• Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors. Areas that by their nature are physically accessible to the public will have significantly reduced visitor services.

Postal Mail Delivery

• The U.S. Postal Service continues to operate and deliver mail as normal.

Small Businesses

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) cannot accept, review, or approve any new business loans (including SBA’s primary loan) for the duration of the shutdown.
  • If the SBA already processed your loan request, then your lender will be able to disperse funds to you.
  • Though new loans will not be issued, loans for businesses hurt by natural disasters continue.
  • Additionally, contracts that small businesses have with the government have halted.
• SBA support services are suspended during this time.

Social Security

• Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits.
• Some Social Security Administration employees are furloughed and the remainder are only allowed to perform the most basic tasks.
  • This means that the work backlog is likely to grow and, depending on how long the shutdown lasts, customer service for Social Security beneficiaries could be disrupted.
• Beneficiaries should expect to experience delays in requests such as submitting new Social Security claims, replacing Social Security cards, or reporting a change in status.
• The Social Security Administration has discontinued benefit verifications.
• Individuals should check Social Security’s Online Services for additional updates.