what happens if the government shuts down tonight

If the government shuts down tonight, many federal services and programs will be temporarily suspended or limited. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed without pay until funding resumes, while essential workers such as military personnel, air traffic controllers, and certain public safety staff will continue to work but not receive paychecks immediately. National parks and museums like the Smithsonian will close within a few days, and some public services including food assistance programs, veteran claims, and casework in federal agencies will experience delays or stoppages. Social Security and Medicare payments will continue, but new applications and some administrative functions may face delays. Additionally, activities related to law enforcement, border security, disaster response, and air travel safety will continue with reduced staff. The shutdown could also affect inspections related to food safety and health agencies like the CDC and FDA could furlough significant portions of their workforce. Economic impacts from shutdowns historically have been in the billions of dollars and can cause travel delays and disruption to government contracts and programs relied upon by everyday Americans.