How a Government Shutdown Could Affect Americans

The U.S. Congress may be playing the Grinch this Christmas.

If lawmakers don’t make a last-minute deal, the U.S. government could shut down at 12:01 am on Saturday. That’s left Americans wanting to know how a government shutdown could impact their lives—and their holiday season.

A government shutdown kicks in when Congress can’t pass new funding for federal agencies. During a shutdown, the federal government only operates essential services, like the military, public safety and law enforcement, TSA screeners, air traffic controllers, and Social Security and Medicare payments. 

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Those federal workers still working, including millions of troops, would have to do so without pay, and hundreds of thousands of federal workers would be furloughed. All of those workers would have to manage those financial hardships and uncertainty during what is usually a festive time of year.

Here are some ways a shutdown would impact Americans.

Will a shutdown impact holiday travel?

Travelers will still be able to fly during a shutdown. Transportation Security Administration airport screeners will be expected to report to work, so will air traffic controllers that work for the Federal Aviation Administration.  But none of those federal employees will be paid until Congress comes to a deal. During the shutdown over the 2018 holiday season, air traffic controllers threatened to walk off the job, and a higher rate of absences slowed down travel in some airports.

The head of the TSA, David Pekoske, said Thursday that about 59,000 of the agency’s 62,000 workers will be on the job during a shutdown to screen passengers and provide airport security. But, he wrote on X, “an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports.” TSA employees expect to screen 40 million passengers at airports during the holidays, Pekoske wrote. 

Passport offices in some areas could be closed, making it harder for travelers with plans to go overseas to update travel documents or resolve other problems.

Troops won’t get paid until Congress acts

Active-duty troops in the U.S. and overseas will still be required to report for duty during a shutdown, but won’t get paychecks at the end of the month, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Thursday. The same goes for reservists required to report for duty and drills. 

If there’s a federal shutdown, Ryder said, “the Department of Defense will continue to carry out our fundamental responsibility and mission to defend our nation and the American people.” 

Without an appropriation or a continuing resolution, troops will miss out on their end-of-month paycheck during the holiday season. Military reservists drilling after December 20 will not receive pay for those drills, and federal civilians that are required to work during a shutdown will not be paid either. When Congress has resolved shutdowns in the past, lawmakers have usually allocated funds to retroactively pay back federal workers and troops.

Read more: As Shutdown Looms, $100 Billion in Disaster Relief Hangs in Balance

What about national parks?

Most National Parks will be closed during a federal shutdown. That could upend a lot of vacation plans for tourists who were planning to see the country’s public lands over the holidays. 

The National Park Service’s contingency plans call for shuttering the majority of national parks and monuments. During the 35-day shutdown that started in December 2018, a few parks remained accessible to the public—like the National Mall in Washington, D.C.—but with fewer visitor services like guides, concessions, clean bathrooms and trash removal.  During a 16-day government shutdown in 2013, the National Park Service estimated that there was a $500 million loss in visitor spending nationwide. 

Utah may tap funds from the state budget to keep its national parks open. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, told reporters on Thursday that the state has backup plans to foot the bill to keep Utah’s five national parks from closing during a shutdown. The brinksmanship in Congress is “just embarrassing,” Cox said.

Safety-net programs

Programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) will continue dispersing aid during a shutdown. But federal offices for those programs would have reduced support for people needing to sign up or looking for help with a snag with their aid. If the logjam in Congress lasts for an extended period, the money available for WIC and SNAP could run out.

An extended closure could lead to disruptions in childcare programs like Head Start, which offers grants to childcare centers for families that have trouble paying for preschool. 

Social Security and Medicare benefits would also continue uninterrupted. But federal offices would have reduced services for people looking to sign up for benefits or address problems. Veterans Affairs benefits, including pensions and disability checks, would also continue.