This government shutdown is officially the longest ever. Here’s how it’s affecting everything.
When will the government reopen?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Your guess is as good as ours.
President Donald Trump and lawmakers are still locked in a standoff over Trump’s demand that Congress allocate $5.7 billion to build a wall at the US-Mexico border. Trump has said he’s considering declaring a national emergency to get the money but he’d prefer to strike a deal with Congress.
The House, now led by Democrats, passed a series of spending bills this week that would reopen parts of the government, including financial services, national parks, housing and transportation, and agriculture. But they’re unlikely to go anywhere.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a move to get the GOP-controlled Senate to vote on the bills, and the White House has signaled the President would veto any spending bills that don’t have his requested wall funds.
Will I get my mail?
Yes. The Postal Service doesn’t use federal appropriations for operations, relying instead on sales of postage, products and services.
Should I be worried about my health?
The Food and Drug Administration will continue to monitor and respond to outbreaks of food poisoning and the flu, as well as food and medical product recalls. It will also keep screening imported food and medical products. And the agency says it will address public health issues that pose an imminent threat.
Still, about 41% of the FDA is off the job due to the shutdown, and some employees caution that response time to emergencies could be slower.
The FDA can call back furloughed employees in an emergency, but they’d only stay as long as needed to address that situation.
Is it safe to travel?
Yes. While agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration are understaffed because of the shutdown, experts say there’s no reason to believe safety is compromised.
Security at airport checkpoints across the country is just as effective as ever, and average wait times are within TSA standards, an agency spokesman said. But as the shutdown drags on, passengers could experience longer security lines or flight delays, and workers could quit over greater workloads and no pay.
Meantime, investigations into significant vehicle, plane and rail incidents are on hold as National Transportation Safety Board workers also are furloughed.
Is the military affected?
Most of the military isn’t affected because a bill funding the Defense Department passed in September.
But since the US Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, many of those service members are furloughed, while others must work without pay.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is fully funded for the 2019 fiscal year, and all operations will continue as normal during the shutdown.
