The US federal government has shut down as of October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT due to Congress's failure to pass appropriations legislation for the new fiscal year. The shutdown affects many government agencies, resulting in furloughs for hundreds of thousands of non-essential federal workers while essential services continue without pay until the shutdown ends. Government agencies and functions that will shut down or face partial suspension include:
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Social Security Administration (will continue benefits but furlough some staff)
- Food inspection services
- National parks closed due to furloughed park rangers
- Small Business Administration (around 24% of staff furloughed)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will furlough some employees but continue emergency disaster response using disaster relief funds
- Many administrative programs related to insurance, housing assistance, veteran claims, nutrition assistance, and other public services
Agencies and functions that will remain operational during the shutdown:
- Federal law enforcement agencies such as FBI, CIA, DEA, and border security agents continue working without pay
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff remain on duty
- Air traffic controllers continue working without pay
- The US Postal Service remains operational
- Medicare and Medicaid programs continue due to mandatory funding
- Two million military personnel and deployed National Guard stay on duty without pay
- Federal courts will operate but may exhaust funds by October 17
- Customs and Border Protection continue collections and operations funded by fees
- Essential health services like inpatient and emergency medical care continue
This shutdown is the result of a stalemate between Republicans (controlling both chambers) and Democrats over budget priorities, including Medicaid cuts and health insurance subsidies. The failure to agree on a temporary funding bill led to the cessation of funding for many non-essential federal government activities until a new budget agreement is reached.
In summary, many federal agencies focused on non-essential services and certain public-facing administrative programs will shut down or reduce operations, while core national security, emergency, and public safety functions remain active but without pay for affected employees during the shutdown.
