Here’s what will be affected by the government shutdown – NPR

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The federal government has shut down. Here’s what will be affected across the country

Updated October 1, 202512:05 AM ET

By Caitlyn Kim

The NPR Network

As of 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1, the federal government shutdown after lawmakers in Congress failed to reach an agreement on how to extend funding.

Reporters across the NPR Network are digging into the ways a government shutdown would be felt across the country.

Here’s what they found.

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Jump to state-specific impacts.

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If you’re flying soon …

Air traffic controllers and most Transportation Security Administration employees are considered “essential workers” and have to stay on the job, even if that means working without pay while the rest of the federal government shuts down.

If the shutdown dragged on, travelers could see more “sick-outs” of key personnel. That happened during the 2018-2019 government shutdown as workers showed their anger over missing paychecks.

Lastly, if you’re planning on any international travel in the new year, you may need to build in even more time for passport renewals. U.S. passport agencies will remain open, but it could take longer to process applications with some employees furloughed.

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What about the mail?

The U.S. Postal Service will keep the mail moving as usual. USPS is primarily self-funded and doesn’t depend on the appropriations process to continue running as usual.

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Social Security, SNAP, WIC and safety net programs

Social Security, VA and other benefits will continue. There could still be some delay in services, such as processing applications.

During a shutdown, the first to feel the pinch could be the mothers and young children who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food program.

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“The timing of this shutdown threat at the start of the fiscal year puts WIC at risk of rapidly running out of funds. A prolonged federal government shutdown of more than one week puts WIC families at risk,” says Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association.

Whether WIC could continue under a prolonged shutdown would vary depending on whether states could access other contingency funds.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) will last longer but could also run out if the shutdown dragged on.

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There could be missed paychecks and lost jobs

Perhaps the biggest impacts will be felt by federal workers and active-duty military service members who will not receive a paycheck during the government shutdown. In the lead up to the shutdown, The White House also threatened mass layoffs (a reduction in force, or RIF) of federal employees, in addition to furlough notices, in the case of a shutdown.

Because the shutdown happened toward the end of a pay period, the first full paycheck missed for federal employees will be Oct. 24, while for the military it will be Oct. 15.

The only salaries the federal government are obligated to pay according to the Constitution during the shutdown will be members of Congress and the president. However, elected officials can request that their paychecks be deferred while a shutdown is ongoing. Some have already done so.

Federal employees and military members will get back pay once the shutdown is over.

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National parks are a big question mark

According to an internal NPS memo by email seen by KQED, a last-minute contingency plan provided to employees late Tuesday would keep many parks open without full regular staffing.

As KQED’s Sarah Wright and Carly Severn report, “national park sites that can be made physically inaccessible to the public will be closed off. But all other NPS sites, including those with roads and trails that are accessible to the public, will remain open according to the memo.”

As of late Tuesday evening, NPS had not responded to a request by KQED for comment.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Here’s what will be affected by the government shutdown : NPR