Government Shutdown Resources
Staying Informed During the 2025 Government Shutdown
On the night of November 12th, H.R. 5371 was signed into law to fund the government through January 30th, 2026, ending the government shutdown and restoring SNAP funding. Resources will remain available on my website for the next week as federal services return to normal, and my office is open to answer any questions you may have.
The government shutdown began at 12:00 am ET on October 1, 2025, and ended on November 12th. Here is what you need to know about how a shutdown impacts you.
If you have been impacted or have concerns about the government shutdown, please share your story here.
Find my 2025 Federal Shutdown Resource Guide and FAQ here. Please note: this is a non-exhaustive list of resources and will be updated as new resources are made available.
DISCLAIMER: This page was last updated on October 30, 2025. Please reach out to the respective federal agencies for the most up to date information on their operations.
My offices will be working non-stop during this shut down and are here to help you as needed. Please contact my office website or call (301) 926-0300 for further assistance with federal agencies.
US Postal Service
● Post offices will remain open, and mail delivery will continue.
Food Assistance Programs
● As of November 1, 2025, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will no longer be available. For more information, please click here.
● During this difficult time, the following resources are available for those in need of assistance.
- Call Maryland DHS with questions or concerns at 1-800-332-6347. We invite customers to continue to update their information, check their eligibility, and apply for help at MarylandBenefits.gov
- Marylanders can continue to find help through food pantries and community kitchens via the Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank, as well as 211 Maryland.
● The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will quickly run out of funding and be unable to provide food for children and parents in need.
Social Security
● Social Security checks will be mailed as usual and Medicare/Medicaid benefits will continue to be available.
● The shutdown will not affect Medicare’s open enrollment period beginning October 15 or the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period beginning November 1.
● Other Social Security Administration and Medicare/Medicaid services may be suspended or significantly delayed, including processing new applications and replacing cards.
● Customer wait times will dramatically increase.
Veterans
● The VA Medical Centers will remain open.
● The VA will continue to process veterans’ benefits, but there may be a longer delay processing claims.
● VA’s primary call center and crisis line will remain open.
● VA transition program assistance and career counseling will cease, VA Public Affairs and outreach will close.
● Some call centers will close and VA benefits regional offices will close.
● The National Cemetery Administration’s (NCA) burial, scheduling of burials, first notice of death, and headstone processing functions should continue.
Federal Employees
● Federal employees from shut-down agencies are either furloughed—prohibited from work and unpaid—or required to work without on-time pay if their roles are deemed essential to public safety.
● While these employees are guaranteed back pay by law once the government reopens, this does not prevent the immediate financial difficulties they face.
● Government contractors, unlike direct federal employees, typically do not receive back pay after shutdowns.
Travel
● All aviation security workers, including TSA officers and air traffic controllers, are working without pay. That may create staffing issues and lead to longer security wait times or flight delays.
● Passport services will continue, but may experience significant delays.
● Online applications for TSA PreCheck are being accepted, but the Department of Homeland Security suspends Global Entry applications.
National Parks
● Most national parks will be closed. In the parks and memorials that remain open, visitor services will be limited.
● We recommend visiting the website of the attraction you are interested in visiting or contacting their office for specific information.
● Due to the Federal Shutdown, the C&O Canal will be closed and not accessible to the public, and access to the boat ramps along the Potomac River will therefore be limited.
Visiting Washington DC
● Many popular attractions may be closed. We encourage you to reach out to the office of the attraction you are interested in visiting for more information.
● U.S. Capitol tours will not be offered. If you have booked a tour and wish to reschedule, please fill out my tour request form and note on the form that you are rescheduling due to the government shutdown.
Federal Agencies and Departments
● Due to the lapse in funding, many agencies have furloughed workers so their help desks may have little or no staffing. You are encouraged to contact any agency to learn if they are still able to assist you at this time.
● Federal courts are expected to remain open and continue operations for at least two weeks after a shutdown begins.
● Some Federal court proceedings may be delayed, however, if a lawyer from an executive branch agency who is involved in the case is furloughed.
Small Businesses
● The Small Business Administration (SBA) will not process new business loans.
● The SBA stopped approving new applications for their Disaster Loan Program in mid-October because they are out of funding.
● Contact your lending institution and ask how the government shutdown affects your loan.
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
● USCIS remains open and continues to process applications.
● You should expect to attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.
Passport Services
● Passport applications will continue to be processed.
● The Bureau of Consular Affairs/Passport Services is designated as an essential service provider and is funded through passport fees, so all of Passport Services, including agencies and the National Passport Information Center, will remain open during a lapse of appropriations.
Federal Housing Administration
● FHA will have limited staff during a shutdown and the processing or closing of FHA-insured loans may be delayed.
● Most loss mitigation for homeowners facing foreclosure (including FHA loan modifications, FHA-HAMP, etc.) will continue.
● Households will continue to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assistance through the end of the year.
Military Personnel & Federal Law Enforcement
● Active-duty troops, including reserve component personnel on federal active duty would be required to continue to report for duty in the event of a shutdown.
● Military retirees and annuitants would continue to receive their pay, which is funded from a different source.
● DOD Civilian personnel who aren’t necessary to carry out or support excepted activities are furloughed; only the minimum number of civilian employees necessary to carry out those activities would be excepted from furlough.