Government Shutdown

Funding for the federal government is set to expire on September 30th. Please know, we are doing everything we can to avert this catastrophic event and to keep critical services up and running for families in Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.

To help you plan for a government shutdown, my office has prepared answers to these frequently asked questions and is providing information about the specific impact to Colorado.

You can also contact my office in Boulder at (303) 335-1045, Fort Collins at (970) 372-3971, and in Washington, D.C. at (202) 225-2161. We are here to help, do not hesitate to reach out.

Federal Government Shutdown: Frequently Asked Questions

Will I continue to receive my Social Security and SSI checks?
Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and SSI checks. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will dramatically increase.

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

What happens to veterans’ services?
All Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and clinics will remain operational. The VA will continue to process veterans’ benefits. However, veterans will be affected by the shutdown of other services that they count on, including education and job training, support for veteran owned businesses, and even assistance for homeless veterans.

Which federal employees keep working during a government shutdown?
When the government shuts down, federal agencies are required to classify their employees whose salaries have lapsed as either “excepted” or “not excepted.” The employees classified as “excepted” work without pay during the shutdown. The employees classified as “not excepted” are put on unpaid furlough.

What is the impact on U.S. military personnel and federal law enforcement?
All active-duty and Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders are excepted and therefore are required to work without pay. On-base non-acute health care will cease, although off-base care provided through Tricare will not be affected. On-base child care will be open on a case-by-case basis. Federal law enforcement will also be required to work without pay for the duration of a
shutdown.

Will military and federal retiree benefits be suspended?
Military and federal retirees will continue to receive their retirement benefits. Processing new applications or other requested changes will be delayed.

Will air travel be affected?
Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents will remain on the job without pay. If some do not report to work, as has happened in prior shutdowns, there will be significant delays and longer wait times across the country.

What does this mean for disaster relief efforts?
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will still respond to emergencies, but all long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund.

How will this affect environmental protection and cleanup?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop inspecting most hazardous waste sites, as well as drinking water and chemical facilities. Efforts to address dangerous contaminants like
PFAS — which are linked to severe health effects, including cancer — will be delayed, and cleanup activities at Superfund sites will slow or cease.

What is the impact on food assistance?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will quickly run out of funding and be unable to provide food for children and parents in need. In the case of a prolonged shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may also be affected.

What is the impact on food safety activities?
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety activities — such as routine inspections of facilities — will be delayed across the country.

What is the impact on housing?
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will stop insuring some new mortgages and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will stop processing some new loans. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) will stop new loan and loan guarantee activity. The VA will continue to guarantee home loans. Funding for federal housing assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, may be jeopardized in a prolonged shutdown.

How will this affect small businesses?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will stop processing new business loans, such as through the 7(a) and 504 programs. However, SBA’s Disaster Loan Program will continue regular operations.

Will my mail still arrive?
Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is not affected by a shutdown.

What does this mean for medical research?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be forced to delay new clinical trials. New patients who are waiting for a chance at new treatment through a clinical trial will be turned away.

Will I still be able to visit National Parks and monuments?
Across the country, services that require National Park Service staff — including trash removal and operating campgrounds and concessions — may be stopped. Closures will be determined on a location-by-location basis; open-air parks and monuments in Washington, D.C. will likely remain accessible. Smithsonian museums may also be impacted by a lengthy shutdown.

How does this affect passports and help for Americans overseas?
Consular services, passport services, and visa services are expected to continue in the immediate aftermath of a government shutdown. In a prolonged shutdown, passport and visa issuance could be slowed. Access to passport agencies located in some government buildings may be limited.

What is the impact on state and local services?
The federal government shutdown will not immediately affect any state or local services. However, with federal funding cut off, some state or local governments may have to change their operations. Check with state and local agencies for specific questions.

Federal Government Shutdown: Impact on Colorado

52,367 active duty and reserve personnel serving our nation's armed forces in Colorado would be forced to go without the pay they earn during a shutdown.
The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides $853,625,400 in funding to small businesses in Colorado every year.
72,432 people flying through Colorado airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers.
87,752 people in Colorado would soon lose access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits.
43,634 federal workers in Colorado would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.
Workers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be sidelined, risking interruptions and delays to the 186 food safety, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other inspections conducted in Colorado last year.
The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans, which provide $114,787,932 in funding to help 445 families in rural Colorado communities buy homes every year.
The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $61,223,000 in funding for farmers in Colorado every year.
572,261 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Colorado would lose access to benefits in a prolonged shutdown.
7,434,361 people who visit national parks in Colorado every year would be turned away or unable to fully access parks, monuments, and museums.
State governments would be forced to pay for federal services like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially risking benefits for the 29,083 TANF beneficiaries in Colorado.