Government Shutdown FAQs

The more I hear from Oregonians, the better job I can do representing and fighting for you. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the government shutdown, please share your story with me here. 

Why does the government shut down? 

Every year, Congress must pass a set of bills that fund the government until the end of the next fiscal year, which ends on September 30. If Congress fails to pass these bills, which finance the operations of federal agencies and programs, the government shuts down. 

Sometimes, to avoid a government shutdown, Congress passes a bill known as a “CR” to extend the deadline and keep government funding at the current level. If a CR is passed this year, funding levels would stay the same as Fiscal Year 2025. If a CR is not passed, the government will shut down. 

Last week, Congresswoman Bynum voted against Republicans’ proposed CR because it didn’t reverse cuts to healthcare and it did nothing to make life better for Oregonians. She stands ready to work with anyone to keep the government open, but she can’t – and won’t – vote for legislation that harms her constituents. 

What government services and programs are impacted during a government shutdown and what effect does this have on the public? 

During a government shutdown, essential services related to national security and public safety, like inpatient and emergency medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, border security, disaster aid, and power grid maintenance, continue, though they may face disruptions. Services such as the U.S. Postal Service and programs like Social Security and Medicare are independent of annual appropriations bills, and will also continue, but may experience interruptions. 

A shutdown would impact a variety of services and programs. Here are a few examples from the 2018–2019 partial shutdown: 

  • During the 2018-2019 partial shutdown, the Food and Drug Administration suspended routine inspections, increasing public health risks.
  • The National Park Service stopped trash collection and road repairs, creating unsanitary conditions and unsafe roads, while some national parks and museums closed entirely.
  • The shutdown also threatened the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in some states, putting low-income families and children at risk. 

What happens to federal employees during a shutdown? 

In the event of a shutdown, one of two things happen to federal employees: 

  1. They are furloughed, which means they are prohibited from work and are not paid, or
  2. If their roles are deemed essential to public safety, they are required to work without pay. 

In the past, Congress has approved retroactive pay once the government re-opened, but there is no guarantee, and it does not prevent federal employees from facing financial difficulties during the shutdown. 

What is the process to end a government shutdown, and can the President unilaterally end it? 

The President does not have the power to end a shutdown on his own. To end a government shutdown, Congress needs to pass and the President must sign either a CR or appropriations bills to fund the departments and agencies that have been shut down. 

What is the impact of a government shutdown on the public and the U.S. economy? 

Shutdowns harm our communities, who face pauses in services and programs they rely on, and they harm our federal employees, who are either required to work without pay or furloughed. Shutdowns also have negative impacts on our economy. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018 – 2019 shutdown cost the U.S. economy $11 billion, mainly due to federal workers reducing their spending in response to lost pay. This decrease in spending may not rebound even after workers receive their back pay. 

Which federal facilities will be impacted by this government shutdown?

Among others, the following federal facilities may be affected in the event of a government shutdown:

  • Military bases, arsenals, depots, and federal armories
  • Veterans’ Affairs medical facilities
  • Federal prisons and courthouses
  • National laboratories
  • National Park System facilities, National Forests, and other federally owned or managed lands
  • Ports including seaports, airports, and intermodal terminals that may host federal customs processing facilities or law enforcement
  • IRS facilities
  • Law enforcement agencies like the FBI, ATF, DEA, or CBP
  • General federal office buildings 

On March 11, 2025, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) voted against H.R. 1968, the partisan Continuing Resolution. Republicans signed this bill into law and took away nearly $30 million of funding from Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District, putting a halt to projects ranging from providing clean drinking water to reducing traffic. Republicans abandoned bipartisan negotiations and proposed a partisan bill without input from Rep. Bynum or other House Democrats. 

On September 19, 2025, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) voted against H.R. 5371, a partisan Continuing Resolution that failed to reverse cuts to healthcare. Republicans refused to come to the table and work together with House Democrats to put together a package that puts the American people first. The bill failed in the Senate. 

Issues: Congress