Federal Government Shutdown: Frequently Asked Questions
Please Note: This page was last updated on November 3, 2025, and will be revised as new information becomes available.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. What is a government shutdown?
Each year, Congress must pass bills to fund federal departments and programs. When Congress fails to enact funding bills, federal agencies must cease all non-essential functions until Congress acts.
2. Why is the government shutting down?
The Trump administration and Republican congressional leaders have refused to engage in bipartisan negotiations to keep the government open, weaponizing funding and even canceling funds Congress has already appropriated. House Democrats will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut critical funding for healthcare, tax credits, or community programs that our communities rely on.
3. Will your office remain working?
Regardless of a government shutdown, our office will remain open to assist with any questions you may have, or to help you with navigating the federal system during the shutdown. For casework requests, we will continue to take new cases, however, some federal departments will continue to respond to casework inquiries and others will not. Please contact my Oʻahu office at (808) 746-6220, my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-4906, or email us at TokudaHawaiiOffice@mail.house.gov with any shutdown related questions.
4. 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. Please check with state and local agencies for specific questions.
FEDERAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
1. Will I continue to receive my Social Security and SSI checks?
Yes. Beneficiaries 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, transition assistance, and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will likely increase during a shutdown.
2. 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. However, you may have difficulty reaching these agencies, as some employees may be furloughed.
3. 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, many services that will cease include education and job training, support for veteran owned businesses, and housing assistance for and homeless veterans outreach. Military and federal retirees will continue to receive their retirement benefits, but processing new applications or other requested changes will be delayed.
4. What is the impact on food assistance?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is expected to run out of funding at the end of October, while Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may be delayed or not issued by November. These timelines, however, may vary by state, as some states are choosing to use their own funds to temporarily sustain these programs to delay the impact of funding shortfalls. For more information about the impacts of SNAP benefits, please visit https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/information-about-impacts-on-snap-benefits-amid-the-government-shutdown/.
5. Will student loans be impacted?
Key activities, including loan servicing, will continue for at least a couple of weeks. However, a prolonged shutdown could substantially disrupt the return to repayment effort and long-term servicing support for borrowers.
FEDERAL SERVICES
1. Will my mail still arrive?
Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is not funded by Congress and will not be affected by a shutdown. All post offices will remain open for business as usual.
2. What does this mean for disaster relief efforts?
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will continue to work and respond to immediate disaster needs such as search and rescue, emergency shelter and medical care, food and water distribution, and coordination of federal/state/local response. However, long-term projects may experience delays during a shutdown, whether due to insufficient funds in FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund or a pause in operations at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which administers disaster rebuilding grants for states and counties.
3. 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.
4. 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, however, there may be delays. If a loan was already approved and assigned an SBA loan number before the shutdown, the lending institution can continue to close and disburse the funds. If you have an existing SBA loan, you must continue to make payments on time.
5. Will my immigration application continue to be processed?
The operations of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is largely unaffected by a shutdown. Immigration applications will continue to be processed.
6. Will federal courts still be open?
Federal courts are expected to remain open and continue operations until at least October 17th. In prior shutdowns, the federal judiciary had the ability to remain open in some capacity and avoid furloughs by balancing court fees and other funds not dependent on Congressional appropriations. Some court proceedings may be delayed, however, if a lawyer from an executive branch agency who is involved in the case is furloughed.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
1. What is the impact on U.S. military personnel and federal law enforcement?
All active-duty, Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders, and federal law enforcement are required to work during the shutdown. On-base non-acute health care will cease, although off-base care provided through TRICARE will not be affected. On-base childcare will be open on a case-by-case basis. Military troops, including the Coast Guard, are expected to be paid during the shutdown.
2. 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.
3. Will federal employees be paid?
In general, federal employees will be paid following the end of a government shutdown. This includes both furloughed employees and those who are required to work during a shutdown.
The State of Hawai‘i has launched Operation Hire Hawai‘i, a fast-track hiring initiative for those affected by the shutdown. You can learn more or apply at dhrd.hawaii.gov/ohhi.
You may also be eligible for unemployment benefits through the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program here.
Additionally, many financial institutions are offering special, low-cost or no-interest "shutdown loans" for impacted federal employees. I would encourage you to contact your bank, credit union, or mortgage lender to attain some financial relief during this time.
4. Will furloughed federal workers receive backpay?
Federal law, including a law signed by Donald Trump himself, makes clear that all federal workers are entitled to back pay as soon as the Republican shutdown ends. Although President Trump has threatened to withhold the pay of furloughed federal employees, we will make sure the law is followed when this lawsuit ends.
TRAVEL AND PUBLIC SPACES
1. 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 could be delays and longer wait times across the country. There is also a shortage of air traffic controllers that could make disruptions even more likely. Applications for Global Entry will be suspended during the shutdown.
2. 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.
3. 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. As of Tuesday, October 14, all Smithsonian museums as well as the National Zoo are closed due to the shutdown. The White House and U.S. Capitol are also closed to tours.
HEALTH & SAFETY
1. What does this mean for medical research?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be forced to delay new clinical trials, meaning new patients who are seeking access to innovative treatments through these trials could face delays or be turned away. During the shutdown, the NIH will primarily focus on maintaining operations at its Clinical Center to ensure patient care and safety. It will also continue essential services such as caring for research animals, preserving ongoing experiments, and maintaining critical infrastructure and facilities.
2. 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. During the shutdown, the FDA will continue activities addressing immediate threats to human life or property, including emergency response, critical public health oversight, recalls, inspections, import reviews, and enforcement actions.
3. 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.