Resource Guide for the 2025 Government Shutdown

LAST UPDATED: September 30, 2025. Please reach out to the respective federal agencies for the most up to date information on their operations. 

Resource Guide for the 2025 Government Shutdown

The government shutdown began at 12:01am ET on October 1, 2026. I am continuing to work to end the shutdown and pass a government funding plan that meets the needs of Central and Southern Illinois. In the meantime, please use this page as a resource to understand what a government shutdown means and how it may affect you. 

PLEASE NOTE: This page is a living document; it is frequently updated so please check in for additional information.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 217-814-2880.

What is a government shutdown?

Every year, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills to fund many of the federal government agencies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year. For FY2026, Republican Leadership in the House and Senate have not been able to pass all of them. Since working Americans will feel these impacts first, I remain committed to eliminating this unnecessary shutdown.

How does the government prepare for a shutdown?

Typically, each government agency has contingency plans for how to operate during a federal shutdown. Many agencies will have to stop or reduce the essential services they provide with this lapse in funding, as well as put employees on furlough until the agencies are funded at capacity again. 

How does a shutdown end? 

Congress must pass and the President must sign a Continuing Resolution or appropriations bills to fund the departments and reopen agencies that have shut down.

What does the shutdown mean for you?

My Office: 

  • Regardless of a government shutdown, my office will remain open to assist you. 
  • Constituents of Illinois’ 13th Congressional District who need assistance can submit their request here, or reach one of our caseworkers from 9-5pm CT, Mon-Fri, at 217-814-2880. Please note, we will have a reduced ability to assist constituents depending on Federal Agency staffing deemed essential.
  • If you have a comment or would like to share how this shutdown is impacting you, please send us a message, or reach out to our D.C. office, 9-5pm ET, Mon-Fri, at 202-225-2371.

U.S. Postal Service: 

  • Post Offices will remain open, and mail delivery will continue.

Food Assistance Programs: 

  • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will likely be able to continue operations for a few months following the shutdown; however, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) special nutrition assistance is likely to run out of reserve funding in a matter of days and would not be able to accept new applicants. 
  • If you or someone you know is experiencing food insecurity as a result of the shutdown, you can find a list of local food banks here. 

Farm Programs: 

  • It is unlikely that USDA will be able to send out ARC/PLC payments, which typically go out in early October, during a shutdown. Because this is the first shutdown during October since this program was created, we are working on getting guidance from USDA as to how it plans to send out these dollars.
  • Crop insurance should be unaffected by this shutdown. However, if you are experiencing a disruption, please contact my district office at 217-814-2880.

Social Security:

  • Social Security checks will be mailed out as usual. This process is automated and remains unaffected by a potential shutdown.
  • However, new applications and folks needing to update their information may experience delays. For inquiries about your application, please contact my district office at 217-814-2880.
  • Expect wait times to dramatically increase.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Disability Benefits:

  • Current Medicare, Medicaid, and disability insurance beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits, assuming a shutdown lasts less than three months.

Federal Health Agencies

  • The Department of Health and Human Services will continue to monitor disease outbreaks conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will retain staff in support of funded activities, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and other mandatory health program payments. 
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will continue core functions to handle and respond to emergencies such as monitoring for and quickly responding to outbreaks related to foodborne illness and the flu and screening food and medical products imported into the U.S.
  • Activities that would not continue during a lapse in funding include contract oversight activities, outreach and education activities, and beneficiary casework services performed by CMS.

Veterans:

  • VA health care services will still be available: the St. Louis VA Medical Center and Danville VA Medical Center will remain open.
  • The VA will continue to process and deliver veterans’ benefits. VA benefits regional offices will be closed.
  • Please note that some VA call centers and hotlines will be temporarily closed, and Veterans Benefits Administration public contact services will not be available. The GI Bill hotline will be closed.
  • You can call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) 24/7 for additional information and assistance. 
  • The Veterans Crisis Line (Dial 988, Press 1) also remains open 24/7. 

Travel:

  • Air travel should generally not be affected, but you may experience some longer times at TSA, or delays/cancellations due to staffing issues. 
  • All aviation security workers – air traffic controllers, animal and plant inspectors, aviation safety experts, Customs and Border Patrol officials, and Transportation Security Agency officers are working without pay. 
  • Passport application processing and issuance may experience significant delays.
  • Online applications for TSA PreCheck are being accepted, but the Department of Homeland Security suspends Global Entry applications during the shutdown.

FEMA: 

  • FEMA staff will continue to respond to emergencies, but long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund. 

Federal Grants, Business Opportunities, and Loans:

  • You are encouraged to always submit your grant application ahead of the deadline.
  • Grants.gov is operational; however, there may be limited staff to provide assistance depending on the agency.
  • The Grants.gov Contact Center phone number is 1-800-518-GRANTS, and email Support@Grants.gov.
  • The Small Business Administration will not process new business loans. The SBA stopped approving new applications for its Disaster Loan Program in mid-October because they are out of funding. 
  • The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will not be able to verify income and Social Security numbers, which delays mortgage and loan approvals.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS):

  • USCIS and visa operations are fee-funded, so it remains open and continues to process applications.
  • You should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.
  • Inspection and law enforcement personnel are considered “essential.” Ports of entry will be open, and processing of passengers will continue; however, processing of applications filed at the border may be impacted.

Military Personnel:

  • All active-duty servicemembers, as well as National Guard members and Reservists on active-duty orders, are classified as essential and required to work without pay. 
  • On-base non-acute healthcare will cease. Off-base care provided through Tricare will not be affected. On-base childcare will be open on a case-by-case basis. 
  • Medical and dental care will still be available, but elective procedures would not be. Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) operations (e.g. operation of mess halls, physical training, and child care activities required for readiness) would continue.

National Parks:

  • Most national parks will be closed. In the parks and memorials that remain open, visitor services will be limited.
  • We recommend visiting the website of the attraction you are interested in visiting or contacting their office for specific information

Federal Employees:

  • Agencies will determine “excepted” personnel who continue to work during a shutdown but will not get paid until after the shutdown, and “exempt” personnel who continue to work with pay from other funding sources. Other employees are furloughed.  
  • In 2019, legislation was passed to ensure all federal workers receive full back-pay after a shutdown. 
  • Some federal agencies may temporarily close, potentially affecting state and local agencies receiving federal funds.

Visiting Washington D.C.:

  • Many popular attractions may be closed. We encourage you to reach out to the office of the attraction you’re interested in visiting for more information.
  • Museums run by the Smithsonian Institution, including the National Zoo, may be closed or offer limited service during the shutdown. D.C.’s official travel website has more information about museums, monuments, and other sites of interest.
  • Capitol tours will not be offered. If you’ve booked a tour through our office and wish to reschedule, please contact us at (202) 225-2371.

Staying Informed: 

You can follow me on social media or subscribe to my newsletter to stay informed and receive important updates about the government shutdown. 

Twitter: @RepNikkiB

Facebook: /RepNikkiBudzinski

Instagram: @RepNikki     

Threads: @RepNikki          

Bluesky: @budzinski.house.gov