The possibility of a government shutdown still looms over the country as Congress continues to disagree over a short-term spending bill.
President Donald Trump met with top officials Monday in an attempt to prevent a shutdown, but the group failed to come to a resolution.
Here’s everything Illinois residents need to know about a possible shutdown, including how it will affect mail delivery, military pay and more.
When is the government shutdown deadline?
The federal government is set to run out of money at midnight on Oct. 1, according to usafacts.org. Members of Congress will need to reach common ground on partisan differences to pass funding for the new fiscal year.
“Lawmakers in the House aren’t scheduled to return to take any votes until after the government potentially shuts down,” USA Today reported. “In the meantime, (Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck) Schumer and (Senate Majority Leader John) Thune are hoping to get senators to reconsider their own funding measures, which aren’t likely to pass.”
What does a government shutdown mean? What would it do?
Below is an official statement from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management:
“In the event of a Federal government shutdown, Federal employees may be eligible for Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE). The UCFE program is administered by state unemployment insurance (UI) agencies acting as agents of the Federal government. The program is operated under the same terms and conditions that apply to regular state UI. In general, the law of the state in which an individual’s official duty station in Federal civilian service is located will be the state law under which an individual’s eligibility for benefits is determined.”
Does a government shutdown affect Social Security payments?
No, Social Security payments continue without delays during a government shutdown, according to USA Today. Social Security benefit programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and benefits for retirement, disability and survivors are considered mandatory spending by law, and do not require congressional approval each year, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Who is affected by a government shutdown? Are government employees paid?
During a shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers, those deemed nonessential, are furloughed, or sent home without pay.
Employees who are classified as essential for critical operations in defense, energy, agriculture, and other sectors would continue to work, but without pay. They are reimbursed later.
About military pay during government shutdowns
Based on previous government shutdowns, the National Military Family Association reported that servicemembers will likely continue to work in the case of a shutdown due to being classified as essential workers.
They will receive their pay on Oct. 1, which will cover the period before the government shutdown. Future paydays may be impacted if the shutdown lasts longer than two weeks. Installation programs and services, such as the Defense Commissary Agency, may be impacted, depending on how long the shutdown lasts.
What closes during a government shutdown? Will mail be delivered?
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will remain open and mail will be delivered, according to a USPS statement on Sept. 25. As for what else is open or closed, here’s a look at what USA Today found:
Anything deemed “essential” or “mandatory spending” will remain open. Examples include:
Anything deemed “non-essential” will close. That includes national parks.
When was the last government shutdown? The longest?
The federal government has partially closed down 21 times for a total of 162 days since 1977. That’s an average of nearly eight days per shutdown.
The longest government shutdown was the most recent in U.S. history during Trump’s first term, lasting lasted 35 days from Dec. 22, 2018 to Jan. 25, 2019.
How will Illinois be impacted by a 2025 government shutdown?
The federal government employs roughly 2.3 million civilians across the country. There are 45,213 federal civilian employees in Illinois – not including uniformed military personnel or federal contractors, according to the Congressional Research Service.
A report the agency published Sept. 12 cites numbers provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management whose latest figures are dated from September 2024.
Kathryn Palmer, Zachary Schermele, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Bart Jansen, Zac Anderson, Eve Chen, George Petras, Ramon Padilla, Francesca Chambers and Terry Moseley contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: How likely is a government shutdown? Here’s what it would mean for Illinois
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Chris Sims, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
