What closes in a U.S. government shutdown
An Associated Press explainer (published Sept. 26, 2025) outlines how a lapse in federal appropriations would play out ahead of the Sept. 30 funding deadline: agencies must furlough non-excepted employees, while 'excepted' personnel (those protecting life and property) keep working without pay. The piece lists which programs continue (Social Security, Medicare claims processing, VA care, USPS operations) and which functions are typically frozen, cites historical furlough counts from the 35-day partial shutdown, and links to an OMB memo directing agencies to plan potential mass layoffs if funding lapses.
Politics
Government/Regulatory
📰 Sources (1)
What closes during a government shutdown? What we know about how it would unfold
New information:
- Funding deadline: Sept. 30, 2025 is cited as the point when a lapse would occur if Congress fails to act
- Excepted workers: FBI investigators, CIA officers, air-traffic controllers and military personnel continue working but may not be paid until funding resumes
- Historical precedent: During the 35-day partial shutdown in Trump's first term, about 340,000 of 800,000 federal workers at affected agencies were furloughed
- Program continuity: Social Security checks, Medicare claims processing, VA medical centers and the Postal Service generally continue during a shutdown
- Policy document: Article references an OMB memo directing agencies to weigh mass layoffs (reduction‑in‑force) in the event of a shutdown