A federal government shutdown looks increasingly likely The House of Representatives failed to pass short term spending account Thursday. The House of Representatives was scrambling to approve a budget after House Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday they opposed an earlier short-term spending bill that would have kept the government going into next year. “This mess would not have happened if we had a real president. Trump said in a statement. “I will in 32 days.
Lawmakers have until late Friday, Dec. 20, to pass a spending bill that will fund the federal government until next spring while it hammers out the long-term federal budget. If that deadline passes without Congress approving funding, the government will enter a shutdown period until it is passed, during which time federal employees will be furloughed without pay and certain government departments will cease to operate.
The US government is shut down 10 times in its long historythe first coming in late 1981. The last shutdown began in December 2018 and was probably the most significant of all, lasting a record 35 days. While there hasn't been a government shutdown since then, the threat of one has become more common in recent years whenever funding deadlines loom.
If a shutdown occurs by the close of 2024, you can expect some vital services to persist while others grind to a halt. You can read about all the details. For more, learn how to protect your social security number from thieves and how much time you have left to sign up for ACA health insurance.
Will I still receive Social Security during a government shutdown?
The Social Security Administration has plans in place to ensure that Social Security checks will still be sent in the event of a government shutdown. This applies to Social Security benefits as well as Supplemental Income and Social Security Disability Insurance.
However, you can expect to see delays for other Social Security Administration services, including the issuance of new Social Security cards and benefit application appointments, as well as responses to customer service requests. Other things like benefit confirmations and overpayment processing will stop entirely.
Will I still get Medicare during a government shutdown?
Just like with Social Security, you can expect to continue receiving benefits during a government shutdown if you have Medicare or Medicaid. According to review announced by Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton's office, those benefits could still end if the shutdown lasted longer than three months, but such a possibility is well outside the realm of historical precedent.
Will a government shutdown affect federal nutrition programs?
Food assistance programs are at significant risk of losing funding in the event of a government shutdown. If you're among the tens of millions of Americans who participate in programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, your benefits may end shortly after the shutdown begins. The Department of Agriculture is also authorized to send SNAP benefits only 30 days after the start of the shutdown, funding or not.
Will the government shutdown affect air travel?
Federal employees in this area are still expected to work during the shutdown despite the fact that they won't be paid during it, so you likely won't see an immediate impact on air traffic. This includes air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration officials, and Customs and Border Protection agents.
However, according to Rep. Wexton's government shutdown report, it is not unheard of for these employees to not show up during a government shutdown, which can result in severe delays to the flow of travel at airports.
Which prevents Congress from approving a short-term budget
On Wednesday, Trump opposed a proposed budget resolution that appeared to have enough support to pass the House, demanding that it be reworked to raise the debt limit or scrap it altogether. writing in a joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance that “anything else is treason to our country.” Republican support for the resolution has stalled in Congress as Trump has suggested that anyone who supports it will be targeted in future primaries.
The debt limit imposes a limit on how much debt the U.S. Treasury can take on, which greatly affects how much it can borrow to pay its obligations. The cap was previously raised during the 2023 funding negotiations and raising it again was not originally part of the negotiations.
“GOP extremists want House Democrats to raise the debt ceiling so House Republicans can cut the amount of your Social Security check, a tough pass,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. in a statement released to Bluesky.
For more, find out what changes could be on the way for Medicare in 2025.