This morning, the United States government officially went into a partial shutdown. Oct. 1 marks the beginning of the government’s fiscal year, meaning Congress is expected to pass a budget to fund federal affairs. Unfortunately, an agreement was not made in time.
The shutdown stems from a standstill between Republicans and Democrats over one key issue: healthcare provisions. Democrats refused to support the bill unless Republicans reversed recent Medicaid cuts enacted under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and extended Obamacare coverage. Without a compromise, the government was forced to shut down until an agreement could be reached.
Prior to the shutdown, in an interview from the Oval Office, President Trump stated that the shutdown will allow Republicans to create “irreversible” changes.
“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them. Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” Trump said.
What Now
The Senate reconvened this morning to vote on the two bills that failed to pass last night, but no agreement was reached. If an agreement is made, all government agencies will reopen. If not, “non-essential” government workers will be furloughed without pay, while essential staff will continue working but won’t receive payment until after the shutdown ends.
Government services and agencies that will remain active include:
- Medicare and Medicaid: Despite being the center of the political controversy, these programs are funded through mandatory spending and will continue operating.
- Federal law enforcement agencies (e.g., FBI, CIA): These agencies will continue operations, but will not receive pay until the shutdown ends.
- U.S. Postal Service: Since it’s self-funded, USPS will continue operating as usual.
- Air traffic controllers: Will continue working without pay until the shutdown ends.
What Does This Mean For Other agencies
Due to the shutdown, if you are a government employee for an essential agency, you will not receive your wages until these circumstances change. People who are reliant on programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may see changes in benefits depending on how long the shutdown lasts.
For D.C. residents, national landmarks like the Smithsonian museums are affected by the shutdown and communicated that they will remain open through at least Monday, Oct. 6. The Library of Congress also put out a statement on Instagram that all of their buildings are closed to the public and their social media accounts are no longer active.
Asking essential workers to continue working without knowing when they’ll be paid might be considered difficult with the country’s already strained economic state.
In the Department of Education, mandatory funding and loan disbursements will still be sent and student loan borrowers are still expected to make payments on those loans. So if you’re expecting financial aid for the current semester, those funds should continue to flow.
For students working through federal work-study programs or those whose families depend on government checks, this shutdown could create a financial strain.
Students like marketing major Candie Kolleh noted the importance of government aid for their peers.
“It feels like there is a large class divided and many are suffering at the hands of political agendas,” Kolleh said. “Opportunities for scholarships and the loss of other financial assistance for students are an indirect effect of situations like this.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is another agency that will continue to run with its employees working without pay. During the 2018 government shutdown, the FDA continued to run, but they had to delay proactive inspections to fully maintain the health of the country. This means the fresh foods you’re buying may not be receiving the same level of oversight as before.
What Can You Do
If you’re affected by the shutdown, make sure you review your budget, reach out to your campus resources and speak with landlords or loan servicers if you anticipate payment delays.
For students affected, reaching out to the bursar’s or financial aid offices and communicating your financial struggles may help you receive emergency funding. Howard University also has a food pantry in Blackburn accessible to all students by appointment.
Political Science major Weemon Yeakehson mentioned that they’re worried for their peers.
“This situation makes me want to be more invested in the news and skeptical about how this could affect myself and other students,” Yeakehson said. “Being in D.C makes it unfortunate to see first hand how rapid these developments happen, and is both fascinating and worrying.”
Understanding the support systems available to you can make navigating this uncertain period more manageable.