The Federal Government shutdown lasted for three days before lawmakers made a compromise Monday to adopt a short term spending bill to fund government operations.

 

President Trump signed the spending bill Monday night, which will fund the government until Feb. 8.

 

During the two-plus weeks before it expires, lawmakers on both sides will have to come to an agreement or risk another shutdown. That could be highly unlikely given the differing opinions on a bill involving immigrants’ rights. 

 

Should a shutdown happen again, people should be prepared for disruptions in different governmental departments, as some are considered “non-essential.”    

 

During a shutdown, the military is considered essential, but some troops might not get paid until the dispute is settled.

 

Veterans hospitals will remain open, and since VA disability pay and GI Bill payments are both funded through different legislation, they should continue.

 

Social Security will continue to be funded, so benefits will continue. But more than 10,000 employees who work in the agency might be furloughed, so some functions like benefit verification and issuing Social Security cards could cease.

 

The U.S. Postal Service will continue delivering mail. But national parks, zoos and museums would close.

 

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which guarantees about 30% of all American home mortgages, wouldn’t be able to underwrite or approve any new loans during a shutdown, causing a delay for those using one of those loans to purchase a home.

 

The Bureau  of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be affected, so people will have to wait for a gun permit. And processing of passport applications will be delayed.

 

The IRS will also be affected, which means longer processing times for tax returns and refunds.

 

Air traffic controllers and security agents will be on the job at airports.

 

One of the biggest concerns for lower-income residents is the effect of a shutdown government assistance programs. Since many programs are federally-funded, people are asking whether they’ll get their benefits.

They will, says Sherburne County Director of Health & Human Services (HHS) Mary Jo Cobb.

 

“The feds supply the funding and we do the services. It’s a little different than if we were federal employees,” she says. “Unless it’s extended for a significant length of time, we’re okay.”

 

Cobb said in anticipation of the shutdown, which lasted just three days the first time around, the Minnesota Dept. of Health (MDH) sent out a letter to grocery stores, grantees and coordinators regarding the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) Program, which provides healthy food vouchers, nutrition education and breastfeeding support to poor women and their children.

 

“They said there was enough money in the state to back that up unless this would extend for weeks,” said Cobb.

 

The letter to stores from Roberta Suski at MDH stated: “You should continue to accept WIC vouchers.  We have adequate funding available to continue to reimburse WIC vendors for all vouchers redeemed and will notify you in advance if this should change.”

 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)would continue to be funded and SNAP benefits would continue to be distributed.

 

Sherburne County also has a contract to house federal prisoners in the county jail complex. Under a shutdown, all federal prisons will continue to operate as normal.