During a government shutdown, non-essential government services are temporarily closed or reduced in operation. Many non-essential government employees are temporarily furloughed, while essential personnel whose funding is not dependent on annual appropriations bills, such as military service members, law enforcement agents, and air traffic controllers, continue to work without pay. Some federal employees may be asked to work without pay. The shutdown primarily affects non-essential federal employees, as well as people and businesses that rely on government services.
Many essential government services continue to operate during a shutdown, either because they are excepted from furloughs to ensure public safety and welfare or are funded outside of annual appropriations (such as mandatory spending programs or self-funded programs). These include:
- Air traffic and airport personnel
- National security operations
- Social Security checks
- Veterans Affairs facilities
- U.S. Passport Agency
- Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans
- Federal Housing Administration loans
- Processing of Federal Housing Administration loans
- National Nuclear Security Administration
- Wildfire fighting efforts
- Smithsonian museums and National Zoo (for about a week after the shutdown)
- All vital FDA activities related to imminent threats to the safety of human life
Visitor centers, campgrounds, research facilities, and museums could be closed for the duration of a shutdown. This would affect events and attractions scheduled for these sites.
