Layca Figueroa Salas ‘26

by Layca Figueroa Salas ‘26 on October 2, 2025

Disclaimer: This article was written before the government shutdown on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

A potential government shutdown is drawing near as Tuesday, Sept. 30 approaches. Each fiscal year, Congress must approve funding for federal departments and programs beginning Oct. 1. However, if lawmakers fail to pass a full-year spending package or a temporary funding extension, a government shutdown would occur, forcing many agencies to suspend operations and hundreds of thousands of federal workers to be furloughed. 

Essential employees, such as those in national security and public safety, would continue working without pay until Congress allocates new funding. While most federal employees could receive back pay after the shutdown ends, delayed paychecks can create significant financial strain in the meantime. 

Since 1980, there have been 14 government shutdowns. During recent shutdowns, citizens felt the effects with students faced delays in obtaining tax documents from the IRS needed for financial aid and the Department of Agriculture warned it could only guarantee food stamp benefits through February. Fortunately, programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are funded through mandatory spending and would continue uninterrupted. 

In efforts to prevent another shutdown, House Republicans have passed a short-term spending bill that would keep federal funding at current levels through Nov. 21 and provide $88 million in emergency funds to bolster security for executive branch officials. However, Democrats have opposed the measure, arguing that the package must include an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and other priorities to gain their support.

Democratic leaders have also emphasized the urgency of addressing these subsidies before millions of Americans begin signing up for health insurance coverage in November. As of Sept. 26, President Donald Trump had dismissed these demands as “unreasonable,” but by Sept. 28, he agreed to meet with the four top Congressional leaders at the White House, just one day before the funding deadline.