Many federal government services are dependent on annual funding appropriations that Congress passes and the President signs. When those appropriations expire, the agencies that they fund must stop operations until new funding is provided. Some services deemed essential continue, such as border protection, inpatient hospital care, air traffic control, law enforcement, and power grid maintenance. Mandatory spending that does not depend on annual appropriations, such as Social Security and Medicare, also continues.
During the last shutdown, many of these vital programs were disrupted. AARP continues to urge Congress to pass legislation to ensure the operation of these programs, including SNAP. If the shutdown continues into November, tens of millions of older adults could face losing food and nutrition assistance. This includes 7 million people who receive supplemental nutrition assistance (formerly known as food stamps) through the WIC and 42 million people that use SNAP benefits on debit-like cards.
In the past, when a funding lapse has occurred, the federal government has shifted funds around to pay for essential operations. The Trump administration has signaled that it is willing to do so again this time around.
During a shutdown, most non-essential employees are temporarily put on unpaid leave. That means that many federal parks and institutions like the Smithsonian museums will remain open, but with limited or no staff. In addition, many research projects will likely be interrupted. During the last shutdown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention halted most of its work while the FDA delayed inspections of some facilities.
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