2025 Government Shutdown Resources 

 
Your Guide to Staying Informed During the 2025 Government Shutdown  

Effective at 12:01 am ET on October 1, 2025, due to lapsed appropriations funds, commonly called “Government Shutdown” many government services are not currently funded, resulting in a range of disruptions in essential services. I want to ensure you have the information you need regarding the government shutdown and how it might affect your everyday life. You can refer back to my website for updates, Nadler.House.Gov as well as credible news websites and websites for various Federal Agencies. Here’s what you need to know:  

How did we get here?  

Each year, Congress must pass legislation to fund government operations for the coming fiscal year. Republicans proposed a Continuing Resolution without input from Democrats, but Democrats have been unilaterally clear: we will not support funding legislation that will result in 15 million Americans losing healthcare coverage. That’s exactly what their Continuing Resolution would do. Republicans have forced their legislation through the House, and now, they are trying to strong arm Democrats in the Senate into letting those 15 million Americans lose their healthcare coverage. The Continuing Resolution did not get the necessary 60 votes to pass, so the government shutdown at 12:01 am on October 1, 2025. 

Office of Representative Jerrold Nadler, NY-12 

My staff and I will remain available, and our offices open to assist you for as long as the shutdown lasts. Constituents of New York’s 12th Congressional District who need assistance can submit their request here, or reach one of our caseworkers in a District Office, 9-5pm, Mon-Fri. Please note, due to the shutdown and the furloughing of hundreds of thousands of Federal employees, responses to our casework requests may be severely delayed. If you have a comment or would like to share how this shutdown is impacting you, please send us a message or call the office. 

THIS IS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION WE HAVE. THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED AS WE KNOW MORE. 

EPA 

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop inspecting most hazardous waste sites, as well as drinking water and chemical facilities. Efforts to address dangerous contaminants like PFAS — which are linked to severe health effects, including cancer — will be delayed, and cleanup activities at Superfund sites will slow or cease. 

FDA 

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety activities — such as routine inspections of facilities — will be delayed across the country. 

Federal Employees 

• Agencies will determine "essential personnel" on a case-by-case basis. Those classified as such will still be required to work without pay during the shutdown. The employees not classified as "essential personnel" are put on unpaid furlough and not allowed to work.

• Some federal agencies may temporarily close, potentially affecting state and local agencies receiving federal funds. 

• Military and federal retirees will continue to receive their retirement benefits. Processing new applications or other requested changes will be delayed. 

• Most FAQs will be answered on the OPM “shutdown furlough” website, and in the GovExec guide to pay and benefits. At the end of previous extended shutdowns caused by lapses in appropriations, federal employees (including Congressional staff) were, by practice, paid retroactively, whether or not they were furloughed. After the extended shutdown in 2019, Congress enacted the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (P.L. 116-1), which statutorily requires retroactive pay for employees performing “excepted service” work AND for furloughed employees (31 U.S.C. §1341(c)). 

Federal Grants and Business Opportunities 

• You are encouraged to always submit your grant application ahead of the deadline. 

• Grants.gov is operational; however, there may be limited staff to provide assistance depending on the agency. 

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

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) will stop processing new business loans, such as through the 7(a) and 504 programs. However, SBA’s Disaster Loan Program will continue regular operations. 

FEMA 

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will still respond to emergencies, but all long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund. 

Food Assistance Programs 

• The following programs will continue operations, but the situation may change depending on the length of the shutdown. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Child Nutrition (CN) Programs will continue operations for now. 

SNAP 

• Current clients will continue to receive benefits uninterrupted through the end of October: We have received guidance from the State OTDA that the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has advised states that a federal government shutdown will not immediately impact SNAP benefits in New York State. SNAP households will continue to receive SNAP benefits on a normal schedule through the end of October 2025. 

• SNAP offices will remain open and new applications will be accepted: The local SNAP offices operated by the New York City Department of Social Services will remain open. New applications will continue to be accepted online through ACCESS HRA and at SNAP centers during a shutdown. 

• EBT cards will continue to work normally: Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards will continue to work normally, and you can be used at any participating retailer or farmer’s market. SNAP benefits are available on EBT cards for 274 days from the date they are issued. To check the available benefits on a SNAP account, clients can visit the state OTDA website at ebtEDGE.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399. 

• Clients need to continue to comply with all SNAP related guidance/requirements: SNAP compliance requirements will remain in place during a potential shutdown, and clients are still required to comply with recertification deadlines, complete periodic reports, report changes and respond to requests for information from DSS. 

• Summer EBT benefits are not impacted: Summer EBT benefits will also continue to remain available for 122 days from the date of issuance. For more information visit: Summer EBT. 

• If a shutdown continues beyond October, there has been no federal guidance on the potential impact on SNAP benefits. We will continue to keep you updated on future updates as soon as they become available. 

WIC 

• If the shutdown persists, access could be jeopardized. States will not receive their next quarterly allocation of funds during the shutdown. 

• During the shutdown, states will have to rely on up to $150 million in contingency funds from the USDA to continue offering services, along with a small amount of rollover funding from the previous fiscal year in some cases. This funding could run out in a few weeks. 

Housing 

• The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will stop insuring some new mortgages and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will stop processing some new loans.  The Department of Agriculture (USDA) will stop new loan and loan guarantee activity. The VA will continue to guarantee home loans.  

NYCHA: 

• What's happening? Housing authorities will receive payments from HUD through November 2025. Additionally, housing authorities have access to reserves that they can use to continue running their public housing programs during a government shutdown. Public housing tenants should not experience any disruption because of the shutdown at this time.  

• Can my landlord charge more than my share of the rent during a government shutdown? Tenants should not receive a rent increase or eviction notice due to the shutdown.  

• What should I do? Continue paying your portion of the rent. Immediately bring any new notices from the Housing Authority to an attorney. 

Project-Based Section 8: 

• What's happening? Most PBS8 owners have active contracts with HUD that will not expire until the end of the year or later. Owners and managers of these properties should continue to receive on-time payments from HUD during a shutdown. Tenants in these properties should not experience any disruption because of the shutdown at this time. However, a very small number of PBS8 properties have contracts with HUD that will expire in the coming months. HUD expects to have staff on hand to renew and process all of these contracts.  

• How do I find out if my property’s contract is set to expire? The name and contact info for your PBS8 Contract Administrator should be on your lease. You can also look on HUD’s website to find contact information for your state’s PBS8 Contract Administrator. Navigate to https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/mfh/residents and scroll down to the heading that reads “Find your state's Project-Based Contract Administrator (PBCA)”.  

• Can my landlord charge more than my share of the rent during a government shutdown? You are only required to pay your portion of the rent as a PBS8 tenant. Landlords may try to increase rents on tenants living in properties where the contract expired. If this happens to you, continue to pay your portion of the rent and immediately reach out to an attorney for help.  

• What should I do? Continue paying your portion of the rent. Immediately bring any new notices from your landlord and/or management company to an attorney. Also bring your lease (if you have it) and any previous notices from your landlord and/or management company 

Medicare and Medicaid 

• Medicare and Medicaid programs and services will continue uninterrupted, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services, like the mailing of Medicare cards. The government has enough money to fund Medicaid for the first quarter of the next fiscal year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, eligible states will continue receiving payments from the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.  

Military Personnel and Law Enforcement 

• All active-duty Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders are excepted and therefore are required to work without pay. Federal law enforcement will also be required to work without pay for the duration of a shutdown. 

• Civilian employees and training operations may experience disruptions. 

• On-base non-acute health care will cease, although off-base care provided through Tricare will not be affected. On-base child care will be open on a case-by-case basis.  

National Parks 

• The Department of Interior intends to keep some parks and open-air memorials open, but you should expect some attractions to be closed or operating at a limited capacity. We recommend you verify that status of an attraction by visiting their website or contacting their office. 

New York State and Local Services 

• The federal government shutdown will 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. 

NIH and Medical Research 

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be forced to delay new clinical trials. New patients who are waiting for a chance at new treatment through a clinical trial will be turned away. 

Passports 

• Consular services, passport services, and visa services are expected to continue in the immediate aftermath of a government shutdown. In the event of a prolonged shutdown, passport and visa issuance could be slowed. Access to passport agencies located in some government buildings may be limited. 

• Online applications for TSA PreCheck are being accepted, but the Department of Homeland Security suspends Global Entry applications. 

Social Security and SSI 

• Social Security checks and Disability checks will be mailed out as usual. This process is largely automated and remains staffed in a limited capacity during a shutdown. Retirement and Disability payments come through the Social Security Trust Funds and not the General Revenue Fund. 

• However, new applications for benefits and people needing to update their information may experience delays. For inquiries about your application, please contact one of our district offices or use your on-line My Social Security portal. 

• The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will dramatically increase. 

Student Loans 

• The Department of Education will keep issuing federal financial aid, and student loan payments will still be due. Hover, investigations into civil rights complaints will stop, and the department will not issue new federal grants. About 87% of its workforce will be furloughed, according to a department contingency plan. 

Travel 

• Air travel should generally not be affected, but you may experience some longer times at TSA, or delays/cancellations due to staffing issues in the event of a prolonged shut down. TSA, Air Traffic Controllers, and Customs and Border Protection agents will continue their operations. 

• However, all aviation security workers – air traffic controllers, animal and plant inspectors, aviation safety experts, Customs and Border Patrol officials, and Transportation Security Agency officers are working without pay.  

• If some do not report to work, as has happened in prior shutdowns, there will be significant delays and longer wait times across the country. 

US Postal Service 

• Post Offices will remain open, and mail delivery will continue. 

• USPS will not be affected because it is an independent agency whose operations are not funded by tax dollars. 

Veterans 

• VA services will still be available. The VA Medical Centers will remain open. 

• Please note that VA call centers and hotlines will be temporarily closed, and Veterans Benefits Administration public contact services will not be available. 

• There are reports of minor delays in receiving discharge documentation necessary to process loan applications. 

• However, veterans will be affected by the shutdown of other services that they count on, including education and job training, support for veteran-owned businesses, and even assistance for homeless veterans. 

Visiting Washington DC 

• Many popular attractions may be affected. We encourage you to reach out to the office of the attraction you’re interested in visiting for more information. 

• Capitol tours will not be offered. 

• The Smithsonian has determined that it has sufficient prior-year federal appropriation balances to remain open and operational until midnight on Saturday, October 11. If the government shutdown continues past October 11, the Smithsonian will close to the public and officially shut down on Sunday, October 12. 

US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) 

• USCIS is fee-funded, so it remains open and continues to process applications. You should expect to attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. 

Additional Resources 

United Way 211- 211 is a 24/7, confidential, and free resource that connects millions with locally available help. Call “211” to connect to a specialist to help identify the community resources that may be able to help during the shutdown. The 211 network in the United States responds to more than 16 million requests for help every year. 

Conclusion 
Know that in these challenging times, your voices matter and my office remains open and available to assist you the best we can. I continue to work for the people of New York’s 12th and together, we can work toward a resolution that prioritizes the well-being of all New Yorkers, and all Americans.  

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my offices via my website or phone, my dedicated staff will do the best they can to assist you. 

District Office: 212-367-7350 

Washington, D.C.: 202-225-5635