Updated October 1, 2025 at 12:05 AM EDT
As of 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1, the federal government shutdown after lawmakers in Congress failed to reach an agreement on how to extend funding.
Reporters across the NPR Network are digging into the ways a government shutdown would be felt across the country.
Here's what they found.
Jump to state-specific impacts.
If you're flying soon …
Air traffic controllers and most Transportation Security Administration employees are considered "essential workers" and have to stay on the job, even if that means working without pay while the rest of the federal government shuts down.
If the shutdown dragged on, travelers could see more "sick-outs" of key personnel. That happened during the 2018-2019 government shutdown as workers showed their anger over missing paychecks.
Lastly, if you're planning on any international travel in the new year, you may need to build in even more time for passport renewals. U.S. passport agencies will remain open, but it could take longer to process applications with some employees furloughed.
What about the mail?
The U.S. Postal Service will keep the mail moving as usual. USPS is primarily self-funded and doesn't depend on the appropriations process to continue running as usual.
Social Security, SNAP, WIC and safety net programs
Social Security, VA and other benefits will continue. There could still be some delay in services, such as processing applications.
During a shutdown, the first to feel the pinch could be the mothers and young children who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food program.
"The timing of this shutdown threat at the start of the fiscal year puts WIC at risk of rapidly running out of funds. A prolonged federal government shutdown of more than one week puts WIC families at risk," says Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association.
Whether WIC could continue under a prolonged shutdown would vary depending on whether states could access other contingency funds.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) will last longer but could also run out if the shutdown dragged on.
There could be missed paychecks and lost jobs
Perhaps the biggest impacts will be felt by federal workers and active-duty military service members who will not receive a paycheck during the government shutdown. In the lead up to the shutdown, The White House also threatened mass layoffs (a reduction in force, or RIF) of federal employees, in addition to furlough notices, in the case of a shutdown.
Because the shutdown happened toward the end of a pay period, the first full paycheck missed for federal employees will be Oct. 24, while for the military it will be Oct. 15.
The only salaries the federal government are obligated to pay according to the Constitution during the shutdown will be members of Congress and the president. However, elected officials can request that their paychecks be deferred while a shutdown is ongoing. Some have already done so.
Federal employees and military members will get back pay once the shutdown is over.
National parks are a big question mark
According to an internal NPS memo by email seen by KQED, a last-minute contingency plan provided to employees late Tuesday would keep many parks open without full regular staffing.
As KQED's Sarah Wright and Carly Severn report, "national park sites that can be made physically inaccessible to the public will be closed off. But all other NPS sites, including those with roads and trails that are accessible to the public, will remain open according to the memo."
As of late Tuesday evening, NPS had not responded to a request by KQED for comment.
During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the Trump administration kept national parks accessible to the public, even as many National Park Service employees had to stay home.
At the time, there were reports of damage and trash in the unattended parks. And a Government Accountability Office opinion in September 2019 found that the Trump administration violated federal law when it used entrance fees to keep the parks accessible.
The shutdown could also disrupt seasonal camping in places like New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest, right as fall foliage approaches its peak.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said earlier Tuesday she would not spend state funds to keep Grand Canyon National Park open should the government shutdown.
The weather forecasts will keep coming
Ahead of past possible shutdowns, the National Weather Service said it would continue to provide routine forecasts, as well as extreme weather watch and warning information.
Many other day-to-day weather operations will also continue uninterrupted, including urgent repairs to radar and other key equipment.
But the shutdown could delay routine maintenance, upgrades and long-term projects for less critical services, according to the National Weather Service.
Previous government shutdowns have delayed the processing of long-term weather and climate data at other federal agencies.
FEMA will keep working, but funding is running low
Most employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are considered exempt and will be available for any emergency or disasters.
But the main funding source for FEMA, the Disaster Relief Fund, is running dangerously low and needs congressional approval for additional funds.
During the shutdown, FEMA would implement immediate needs funding, and this could mean delays in reimbursements to states and local governments.
Additionally, FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program. With Congress unable to pass a spending bill, that's expected to lapse.
State-specific impacts
Alaska
Alaska has one of the highest percentages of federal employees in its workforce, given its relatively small overall population compared with other states.
About 15,000 federal employees live in Alaska.
President Trump's threat that federal employees could receive termination notices increases the uncertainty around how this crucial workforce to Alaska's economy could be affected.
For more on the impact in Alaska, head to Alaska Public Media.
— Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
California
Just hours before the federal government shutdown, KQED learned that the National Park Service intends to keep parks already accessible to the public open during the shutdown, while closing those that are not.
According to an internal NPS memo by email seen by KQED, parks with roads, trails and open air memorials will mostly remain accessible. Any area that can be shut with a gate or lock will be closed.
With NPS staffing already down by an estimated 24% at parks, the likelihood of poaching and vandalism could rise even further in the event of an unstaffed shutdown, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers. He points to the destruction of trees at Joshua Tree National Park during the 2019 shutdown. Wade said he's also worried that park staff won't just get furloughed but are also at risk of being fired outright, after Trump directed agencies to prepare for mass firings should the shutdown occur.
For more on how the government shutdown could impact the Bay Area, head to KQED.
— Adhiti Bandlamudi and Sarah Wright, KQED
Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park was the fifth-most visited national park last year. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement earlier this week that Colorado is evaluating its options and would be a "willing partner if needed to use limited State funds to keep our biggest park fully operational if necessary."
"We would certainly ask the Federal government to keep the parks open and staffed, or create avenues for the state to assist in keeping parks open and protected," Polis said in a statement. "If Congress does not fund the federal government, I urge the Administration to prioritize the operations of the national parks that so many people love and are a huge economic driver for our rural communities, especially during leaf peeping season."
The National Weather Service confirmed it will continue to provide forecasts through its forecasting offices in Boulder, Grand Junction and Pueblo.
— Caitlyn Kim and Megan Verlee, Colorado Public Radio
Connecticut
Connecticut is home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a Coast Guard station. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military that's under the Department of Homeland Security instead of the Department of Defense.
In the past, deals to keep the military paid during a shutdown haven't included the Coast Guard since they're under DHS.
During the shutdown in 2019, Coast Guard families relied on food pantries and discounts at local restaurants to get through.
Connecticut is also home to the U.S. Naval Submarine Base, which employs 6,500 active duty sailors, and more than 2,000 civilian employees and contractors. Though the Navy has been paid in the past, checks can be delayed.
Essential civilian workers report to work, but aren't paid until after the shutdown ends.
For more on the impact in Connecticut and on Long Island, head to WSHU.
— Molly Ingram, WSHU
Louisiana
The National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, is managed by FEMA and has been temporarily extended by Congress more than 30 times since 2017. NFIP was created in 1968 to provide flood insurance to those who don't have a private option. It has grown in size as most homeowner's insurance policies across the U.S. have dropped flood damage entirely.
It covers nearly half a million Louisianans.
Funding expired at 12:01 a.m., and without action policyholders with expiring contracts could lose coverage and will not have the opportunity to renew.
Funding made available by the U.S. Treasury Department to pay claims would also drop $30 billion overnight, leaving just over $1 billion for the program.
For more on the impact in Louisiana, head to WWNO/WRKF.
— Michael McEwen, WWNO/WRKF
Oregon
There are nearly 30,000 federal workers in Oregon. Each federal agency has its own shutdown plan, but workers can be regarded as fitting into three basic categories:
- About a third are not affected because they work for the U.S. Postal Service, the Bonneville Power Administration or other agencies with their own funding mechanisms.
- Another third will be told to stay on the job because they are essential for public safety. That list includes airport screeners, air traffic controllers, border protection workers, federal law enforcement officers, in-hospital medical workers, members of the military, power grid maintenance staff and Veterans Affairs caregivers. They'll be expected to keep working but won't get paid until after funding starts flowing again.
- The last group — also about a third of the local federal workforce — won't work during the shutdown. This group includes part-time workers for agencies like the Forest Service. In previous shutdowns, Congress has paid furloughed workers afterward.
For more on the impact in Oregon, head to OPB.
— Kristian Foden-Vencil, OPB
NPR's Padma Rama and Emily Alfin Johnson edited this piece.
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