As of 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025, President Trump and Republicans in Congress have shut down the government.

I remain committed to doing everything I can to reopen the government for Massachusetts’ First District and the nation. Until an agreement is reached, I want to provide the most up-to-date information to help you navigate the challenges of this shutdown.

This page will continue to be updated with resources and guidance to help you understand how a government shutdown may impact you and your family. Please note that this guidance is based on information from previous shutdowns. The Trump Administration has yet to make public up-to-date agency shutdown plans for all agencies. Furthermore, President Trump has threatened to continue his illegal mass firings and further disrupt agency operations during a shutdown.

If you have recently opened a case with my office regarding an issue with a federal agency, my staff will continue to be available to assist. However, many agencies will face delays, and some may halt casework processing altogether, due to reduced staffing. Please contact my office for details about your case.

– Congressman Richard E. Neal

 

Will the Office of Congressman Richard E. Neal continue working for constituents in the event of a federal government shutdown?  

Yes, my office will continue working on behalf of constituents through a government shutdown.

Constituents who need assistance with a federal agency can still submit their request through my website or by calling my Springfield or Pittsfield District Offices.

While my staff will continue to receive and process your inquiries with their usual diligence, please be advised that federal agencies may be less responsive than normal due to reduced staffing and capacity.

 

How does a federal government shutdown affect the following federal agencies and operations?

Air Travel

Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents will remain on the job without pay.

Should the shutdown continue for a longer period of time, travelers may experience longer wait times at airports and flight delays due to staffing shortages.

Passport application processing and issuance may experience delays.

Online applications for TSA PreCheck should continue to be accepted, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will suspend Global Entry applications.

 

Federal Employees

When there is a government shutdown, federal agencies are required to classify their employees as either “essential” or “non-essential.” The employees classified as “essential” continue to work during the shutdown. Employees classified as “non-essential” are put on unpaid furlough.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 guarantees back pay to furloughed and excepted federal workers impacted by any lapse in federal appropriations; all federal employees will receive back pay.

 

Federal Food Assistance Programs

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Child Nutrition (CN) Programs will continue operations until their funding diminishes. This means that Americans should be able to access benefits in the immediate onset of a shutdown, but future access will depend on the length of the shutdown. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) may run out of funding as early as one week into the shutdown.

 

Federal Grants

Grants.gov should remain operational. However, there may be limited staff to provide assistance depending on the agency fielding grant applications.

The Grants.gov Contact Center phone number is 1-800-518-GRANTS, and email contact is Support@Grants.gov

 

Federal Housing Loans

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will stop approving applications for housing loans.

During the 16-day shutdown of 2013, the FHA delayed processing over 500 applications for loans to develop, rehabilitate, or refinance around 80,000 units of multifamily rental housing.

 

Federal Law Enforcement

Federal law enforcement will also be required to work without pay for the duration of a shutdown.

 

Federal Retirees

Federal retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will continue to receive their scheduled annuity payments on the first business day of the month. Effective on January 1, 1987, FERS includes most federal employees; the CSRS system generally covers federal workers hired before 1984.

 

FEMA

All FEMA-funded natural disaster recovery work stops during a federal government shutdown. FEMA staff would still respond to emergencies, but without funding, FEMA would not be able to continue long-term projects.

 

Food Safety

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees food safety, will be shut down.

The 16-day shutdown in 2013 sharply curtailed critical FDA food safety inspections of domestic and international food facilities.

 

Head Start

Children across the country will lose access to Head Start programs, as the Department of Health and Human Services would be unable to award federal grants to child-care centers. More information will be provided as is available.

 

Medicare and Medicaid

Current Medicare, Medicaid, and disability insurance beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits for at least three months. If the government shutdown lasts longer than three months, beneficiaries may see impacts to receiving their earned benefits.

 

Military Personnel

All active-duty troops are required to still report for duty, but paychecks will be delayed until the shutdown ends.

Not all civilian defense workers will be required to work during a shutdown. Some might be furloughed, while others may be considered ‘essential’. Please check with your supervisor for specifics.

Military personnel’s access to on-base health care may be impacted. Critical medical and dental care are exempted from the shutdown order, but other elective procedures might be cancelled or postponed depending on the medical situation. Please check with your provider.

Private sector health care under Tricare will not be affected by a shutdown, and specialty medical care for wounded warriors would continue. However, office hours could be cut due to shutdown-related staffing issues.

On-base childcare will be open on a case-by-case basis. Please check with your facility for more information.

 

National Parks

The National Park Service will be closed during the Republican Shutdown.

During the 2018 shutdown, many parks and open-air monuments remained accessible, though no visitor services were provided, and indoor facilities were closed.

 

Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service is not affected by a federal government shutdown.

 

Small Businesses

A federal government shutdown halts federal loans to small businesses.

During a shutdown, the Small Business Administration (SBA) stops approving applications for small businesses to obtain loans and loan guarantees, typically $1 billion per month.

During the 16-day shutdown in 2013, the SBA was unable to process about 700 applications for small business loans.

 

Social Security

Current recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and SSI checks. Local Social Security offices will remain open to the public, but will provide reduced services, including:

• Applying for benefits
• Requesting an appeal
• Changing your address or direct deposit information
• Reporting a death
• Verifying or changing your citizenship status
• Replacing a lost or missing Social Security payment
• Obtaining a critical payment
• Changing a representative payee
• Making a change in your living arrangement or income (SSI recipients only)
• Obtaining a new or replacement Social Security card

State and Local Services

The federal government shutdown does not immediately affect any state or local services.

However, with federal funding cut off, some state or local governments may have to change their operations. Check with state and local agencies for specific questions.

 

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)

Because USCIS is fee-funded, USCIS offices will remain open and continue to process applications. You should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.

 

Veterans’ Services

All VA medical facilities and clinics will remain fully operational. However, VA call centers and hotlines will be closed. Veterans Benefits Administration public contact services are also not available.

During the 2013 16-day shutdown, many veterans lost access to vocational rehabilitation and education counseling services.

 

Visiting Washington, D.C.

Some popular attractions in our nation’s capital will be affected. Anyone interested in visiting an attraction in Washington, D.C. is encouraged to reach out to the office of the attraction for up-to-date information.

Capitol tours are cancelled, and the Capitol Visitors Center is closed during a shutdown. If you’ve booked a tour through my office and wish to reschedule, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-5601.