Government shutdown begins, leaving services and workers in limbo
About 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed or laid off, and many government offices could close.
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The federal government is officially shut down after lawmakers failed to reach a funding deal by Wednesday’s deadline.
About 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed or laid off, and many government offices could close. Each agency has its own shutdown plan, so the full list of closures and cutbacks will roll out in the days ahead.
Some services will keep running. The military, Medicare, Medicaid, the postal service and air traffic control will all continue. Travelers will still go through TSA at the airport.
But other services will slow down or stop altogether. That includes research at the National Institutes of Health, processing for certain disaster relief programs, and potentially operations at national parks.
Gov. Kathy Hochul slammed Republicans over the stalemate, posting on X: “Donald Trump and Washington Republicans just turned their backs on millions of Americans. They need to do their damn jobs, come back to the table and end the Trump Government Shutdown.”
Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer also placed blame on Republicans, accusing them of refusing to protect health care funding and walking away from bipartisan talks. Republicans argue Democrats are demanding too much spending and playing politics.
On Long Island, Rep. Nick LaLota said the impact will be felt quickly: “Some difficulty. Some longer time at airports. Less security at the border. Less security from the Coast Guard. There are some terrible things that happen with our economy, with our national security. If you have an IRS claim, it’s going to take longer. If you have a Social Security claim, it’s going to take longer.”
Experts say the longer the shutdown lasts, the more it could ripple through the economy — delaying paychecks for federal employees and slowing down basic services that millions of Americans rely on.
