Government Shutdown Information Guide
As of 12:01 AM EST on Wednesday October 1st, the federal government has officially entered a shutdown. On September 19th, alongside my Republican colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, I voted to keep the government open and prevent a shutdown that would hurt our seniors, veterans, and small businesses. This responsible approach ensures that we can continue the appropriations process, properly steward taxpayer dollars, and cut wasteful government spending from the federal budget.
Unfortunately, Democrats have recklessly shut down the government because their unserious demands of $1.5 trillion in new spending and free healthcare for illegal immigrants were not met. This unnecessary stunt prevents our troops and border patrol agents from being paid and Iowans from accessing services that they depend on.
Since the Democrats have shut down the government, I have instructed the Chief Administrative Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives to withhold my pay until the government reopens and backed legislation to ensure that our troops and border patrol agents continue to receive their pay uninterrupted during this government shutdown.
Our office remains operational and able to assist you with any issues you may have with the federal government during this shutdown. However, we may face obstacles with reduced agency staffing and operations. You can visit the Office of Management and Budget website HERE for periodic updates on agency operations.
A federal shutdown impacts all discretionary spending, including but not limited to our military, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services. For instance, this may affect Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices, small business loans, and IRS phone services. However, mandatory services will continue as normal. These include Social Security payments, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and SNAP benefits.
Additionally, the following services will remain operational throughout the shutdown:
- Federal crop insurance programs
- VA medical care and benefits
- Disability payments
- USPS delivery
- Air travel (delays are possible)
- Federal employee retirement payments
- Student aid like Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans
- Visa and passport services (delays are possible)
- Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight
For specific details on federal agencies, you can visit a department's .gov website (e.g., www.usda.gov, www.va.gov) and check HR or shutdown resource pages.