When the clock strikes midnight tonight, the U.S. government could shut down. If that happens, it will be because Congressional Republicans and Democrats could not reach an agreement on a new funding bill, which is required to keep the government running.
As noted by CBS News, one of the key sticking points between Democrats and Republicans involves healthcare provisions in the proposed bill.
Democrats want provisions in the bill that would help fund healthcare for millions of Americans across the country. They also want restrictions on President Trump’s ability to withhold such healthcare funding. Republicans have so far refused to entertain these provisions.
If a deal can’t be reached, the federal government will shut down on Wednesday, October 1. The shutdown will impact Americans in different ways, depending on their livelihoods and the services they rely on.
Here’s how a government shutdown could affect three large groups of Americans, including Social Security recipients, travelers, and federal workers.
What if I’m a Social Security recipient?
The good news is that if you currently receive Social Security payments, the government shutdown will not stop those payments from being sent to you, reports CBS News. This is no doubt a relief for the 74 million Americans who get Social Security checks every month.
The reason Social Security checks will continue to come is that Social Security spending is mandatory and therefore does not need to be renewed on a yearly basis.
However, some administrative tasks of the Social Security Administration (SSA) could be impacted due to federal workers being furloughed during the shutdown.
This could include “benefit verifications, earnings record corrections and updates, overpayments processing, and replacing Medicare cards,” Max Richtman, CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, told CBS News.
Will a government shutdown delay my flight?
If the government does shut down, not all federal employees who work in travel-related positions will be furloughed.
This is because some of these workers are considered “essential,” so federal law says they must continue working—albeit without pay in many cases.
Essential federal workers include those who work for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CPB). It also includes those who work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including air traffic controllers, as noted by USA Today.
However, while these workers will continue to perform their roles, it’s possible that if the shutdown continues for a long time, some of them could attempt to strike over a lack of pay. If a strike occurs, it could cause delays at airports.
And then there are the “non-essential” federal employees who work in travel-related positions, such as those in the National Park Service. Many of these workers will be furloughed, which could lead to the closure of national parks or their understaffing.
How will a government shutdown affect federal workers?
Without a doubt, the most immediate impact of a federal shutdown will be felt by Americans who work for the federal government.
If a shutdown occurs, most federal employees who are considered “non-essential” workers will be furloughed. During the time they are off work, they will not be paid, which could have devastating financial consequences for them and their families.
A law passed in 2019 states that federal workers who are furloughed during a shutdown have a right to back pay once funding is restored, but that law does nothing to help those workers while the shutdown is in place.
What’s more, things could be worse for federal workers this time around when compared to previous government shutdowns. That’s because the Trump administration has stated that if the government is shut down, federal agencies should prepare to permanently lay off federal workers whose jobs don’t align with President Trump’s priorities, CNN reports.
If the Trump administration goes through with those plans, it could mean that when some federal workers leave their jobs on Wednesday, if there is a shutdown, they may never return to those roles again.
Will a federal government shutdown happen?
Congress has less than 24 hours to avert a federal government shutdown. And as of the time of this writing, there are no signs that the Republicans and Democrats are close to an agreement to pass the funding needed to avert a shutdown.
If the government shuts down, it will not be unprecedented.
As CBS News notes, government shutdowns have occurred 14 times since 1980. The most recent shutdown was in Trump’s first term in 2018-2019, when the federal government shut down for 34 days—the longest shutdown on record.
Whether the average American who isn’t a federal worker feels the immediate impact of any shutdown depends on their situation, but most should experience a limited impact if the shutdown doesn’t last long.
As noted above, this is because Social Security checks will continue to arrive, planes will remain in the air, and mail will continue to be delivered (since the United States Postal Service is a self-funded institution).
To see how a shutdown may affect other aspects of life, it’s worth checking out the various 2025 Federal Government Shutdown FAQs that are being posted by some members of Congress on their websites.