If Congress fails to fund the federal government by Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, the government will go into partial shutdown. Some government functions – those deemed essential – will continue as usual, while others will be suspended. If a shutdown proceeds the way it would have in 2011 (had the last funding impasse had not been resolved in time), 800,000 of 2.1 million federal employees would be furloughed.
Here is a list of what to expect if a shutdown takes place:
- Linda Feldmann, Staff writer
1. What happens to national defense?
As with all government agencies, essential services will continue to be performed, as determined by the heads of the agencies.
“Military personnel would continue in a normal duty status,” a Department of Defense memo stated Sept. 23, adding that a “large number” of the Department of Defense’s civilian employees would still be temporarily furloughed.
Two types of Defense employees escape furlough: One, if they are “performing emergency work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property”; and two, those whose jobs are not funded by Congress via annual appropriations. All others face a furlough, which bars them from working, including as a volunteer.
This file photo shows the Social Security Administration’s main campus in Woodlawn, Md. (Patrick Semansky/AP/File)
2. Will Social Security and Medicare payments still be mailed?
Yes, but…. Social Security and Medicare are entitlements, and as such, the spending is mandatory. So checks will still go out. But there could be delays if a lack of funds for worker salaries means a reduced workforce at their respective agencies. Also, new applications are likely not to be processed until the government reopens. In the 1996 shutdown, more than 10,000 Medicare applicants were turned away daily, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB).
During the shutdowns of 1995 and 1996, some Social Security employees were allowed to work, which kept benefits flowing to existing Social Security, disability, and black lung beneficiaries, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). But over time, more workers were brought back to process new claims and respond to other requests (such as from people who needed a Social Security card to work).
A US Postal Service letter carrier delivers mail in Atlanta in this file photo. (David Goldman/AP/File)
3. Will mail still be delivered?
Yes. The US Postal Service is self-funded – i.e., not funded by appropriations from the Treasury – and so mail service will continue as usual.
Source: Government shutdown 101: 12 ways it could affect you
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