The federal government shut down this morning after Congress failed to approve new spending bills, delaying pay for federal workers and putting some aid programs in limbo.
Shutdowns aren’t uncommon for the U.S. government. The latest was a partial shutdown in 2018, which lasted for 35 days, while the last full shutdown was in 2013. They’re typically uneventful, particularly if they’re short, said IU professor and former Fort Wayne mayor Paul Helmke.
But this time, President Donald Trump is threatening mass layoffs of government workers deemed nonessential, according to a memorandum from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. That’s new and “a lot more extreme” according to Helmke.
The memo directs agencies to issue reduction in force notices until they only employ enough workers to carry out each agency’s statutory duties.
How will the shutdown affect Indiana?
A short government shutdown would likely not affect the average Hoosier. Government services deemed essential, such as the military, Social Security payments and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will continue to operate. Planes will continue to fly safely, and mail will continue to be delivered.
“The biggest challenge for people will be if they need to interact with a human being in some of these governmental offices,” Helmke said.
That may mean visiting national parks where gift shops are closed, he said, or struggling to get a government worker on the phone.
Processing times may also increase for documents like passports.
“The catch is, the longer a shutdown goes on, the more services that are likely to be affected,” Helmke said.
Federal workers may get frustrated with the missed paychecks, he said, and staffing may get tight at agencies that provide essential services.
There are 24,499 federal civilian employees in Indiana, not including contractors or uniformed military personnel, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Uncertainty fuels stress over federal aid programs
The lack of clarity on how long certain federal programs can continue to operate is fueling anxiety for both administators and recipients of the funding.
Though funding for aid programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has been approved for October, said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, the program may be in trouble if the shutdown extends beyond that month.
It’s less clear for programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, which varies by state. When asked how long Indiana could administer the program during a government shutdown or if there were contingency plans, the Indiana Department of Health told IndyStar it was “monitoring the situation, and WIC will continue to operate as normal.”
The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which is one source of federal funding for food banks, is in a similar boat as SNAP. The program is funded for now, but may be in trouble if the shutdown is prolonged because there would be no one at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to authorize purchases, Weikert Bryant said.
“Not knowing what options are going to be available in the foreseeable future if there is a shutdown just adds to that anxiety for folks who are experiencing food insecurity,” she said, “which is about one in seven Hoosiers.”
Who wins the shutdown battle?
Both Democrats and Republicans in Indiana’s congressional delegation have taken to social media to blame the other side for the shutdown.
Republican Sen. Jim Banks called it a “Schumer Shutdown” in a post on X on Sept. 30.
Rep. Erin Houchin, also a Republican, called it a “Democrat-led” shutdown.
Meanwhile Democrats, including Rep. André Carson, are criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to cancel votes by highlighting a near-empty chamber.
Whoever comes out on top politically remains to be seen, Helmke said. Trump has the ability to shape the narrative through his presidential platform, he said, but many Americans will attribute the shutdown to the party with control of both chambers of Congress and the presidency.
Contact Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: The government shut down this morning. How will it affect Indiana?
Reporting by Marissa Meador, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
