What is a government shutdown?

Every fiscal year, Congress is required to pass legislation to fund the government. The United States Constitution gives Congress the “power of the purse.” Government funding is required to be renewed every year by October 1st. Historically, this is done through twelve different appropriations bills to cover spending across the entire government—this includes homeland security, defense, veterans’ affairs, transportation, agriculture, and rural development. If annual appropriations bills cannot be passed on time, Congress can pass a shorter-term continuing resolution (“CR”), to temporarily fund the government while the appropriations process concludes. The House passed CR will allow for the appropriations process to continue taking place.

My push throughout the appropriations process has been (and always is) to get all twelve appropriations bills passed—a task that has only happened four times since 1977 and not at all since 1997. When Democrats finally come around to passing the commonsense CR, we can get back to the real work of funding the government through regular order—as it was intended to be done. In the past five decades there have been 21 government shutdowns.

The term “shutdown” is a bit of a misnomer. Despite the lapse in appropriations, the federal government will continue operating on a number of fronts, including essential services.  Nevertheless, Democrats are forcing the operations of several vital programs to slow significantly or come to a halt, including:

• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program
  
  
• Community health center funding
  
  
• Medicaid telehealth flexibilities
  
  
• Veterans’ suicide prevention grants
  
  
• Nursing home care for disabled veterans
  
  
• Medicare payments to hospitals and physician
  
  
• Rural veterans’ mental health programs

Republicans are united in working to keep the government open, which is why—in the middle of September—we passed a 7-week clean CR without partisan policy riders. But, that measure needs 60-votes in the Senate. So far, only two Senate Democrats have voted with 53 Senate Republicans to pass that measure on to the President. 

Despite the shutdown, my staff and I remain committed to serving Texas’ First District. If you are having an issue with a federal agency, you can contact my office for casework inquiries here. While agencies may have slower response times due to reduced staffing, my office will continue to advocate on your behalf.

The following programs and services remain active, though many agencies will operate with reduced staff, leading to possible delays:

• Social Security payments (including SSI)
  
  
• Medicare and Medicaid benefits
  
  
• VA medical care and benefits (some regional offices may be closed)
  
  
• SNAP benefits (a prolonged shutdown could create disruptions)
  
  
• Disability payments
  
  
• Mail delivery
  
  
• Federal law enforcement and military operations
  
  
• Air travel
  
  
• Federal employee retirement payments
  
  
• Student aid such as Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans
  
  
• Smithsonian Museums (until at least Monday, October 6)
  
  
• Visa and passport services (though wait times may increase)

Social Security payments will continue as Congress works toward a solution. Federal agencies are still updating and creating their shutdown plans. For more detailed information on the impacts of a government shutdown and for ongoing updates, visit my website here. It contains lots of useful information and a FAQ section to help answer your questions.

On October 2, 1835, Texians raised this flag at the Battle of Gonzales with the words “Come and Take It.” Over the years, this flag has taken many forms, but its roots are right here in Texas — a symbol of courage, independence, and the fight for liberty.

Dealing with federal agencies can be complicated, and my office is here to help. If you need help with Social Security, the IRS, passport renewals, the VA, or other federal agencies, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by calling (903) 561-6349 or visiting my website.

It is an honor to be your voice in Congress.

With gratitude,

Nathaniel Moran

Member of Congress