As of early Wednesday morning, the federal government entered a shutdown as the House and Senate were unable to reach a spending deal by 12:01 a.m.
The last shutdown began on Dec. 22, 2018, and lasted until Jan. 25, 2019, and was the longest government shutdown in more than 40 years.
While government shutdowns are less common in recent decades than they were in the 1970s and ’80s, an increasingly divided and partisan Congress has led to many last minute deals over the last several years. In March, the Senate passed a deal just hours before a shutdown deadline and President Donald Trump signed the bill into law shortly after.
Shutdowns generally only last a few days while Congress hammers out an agreement, but prolonged lapses tend to impact many different areas of life for Americans across the country.
This year’s shutdown is the first one in almost six years.
Here’s what we learned from the last shutdown about what could happen if Congress fails to agree on a package soon.
A historic shutdown: What happened in Dec. 2018
The last shutdown started on in Dec. 22, 2018, during President Donald Trump’s first term, when he requested billions in federal funds to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
January marked the start of a new Congress, and Democrats took control of the House after winning the November congressional elections. For weeks, the partisan wrangling between the White House and Democrats kept the government shuttered, until Trump agreed to endorse a stopgap bill temporarily funding the government.
According to a 2019 report from the Congressional Budget Office, the five-week shutdown delayed an estimated $18 billion in federal spending for compensation and purchases of other goods. The shutdown reduced the gross domestic product by $3 billion.
The report found that the shutdown “dampened economic activity,” largely because of furloughed federal workers’ contributions to the GDP. Still, that historic shutdown only affected 0.4% of the total economic output, the office found.
During that time, hundreds of thousands of federal workers went without pay.
Many federal functions were preserved and Americans were largely not impacted by the shutdown. “Essential” services bit affected include the Postal Service, Medicare and Social Security.
Other agencies and services were funded elsewhere or already protected in case of a shutdown. For example, the Coast Guard was the only branch of the military affected after the other branches were funded because appropriations bills for the Department of Defense, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was also funded.
A TSA officer assists travelers at a security screening area during a partial federal government shutdown Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in SeaTac, Wash. TSA staff are among tens of thousands of federal employees considered essential as the federal government shutdown moves into its second week. They are working without pay until the shutdown ends, but will likely be paid retroactively later on. | Elaine Thompson
However, those essential services could still see disruptions and impact everyday processes in a shutdown.
In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration had some concerns over food inspections and schools were afraid about being able to provide school lunches.
In national parks, some went without staff and there were concerns for people’s safety inside the parks after several deaths, property damage and trespassing. Trash piled up and public toilets overflowed.
The shutdown left Transportation Security Administration and air traffic controller workers without pay, causing staffing shortages, terminal closures and flight delays. Judicial cases were impacted and delayed, the FBI reported investigations were compromised and Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees were unable to ensure immigrants were held in facilities appropriately, among other federal impacts.
2025 shutdown: What we can expect
In 2018, voters largely blamed the GOP for the shutdown, according to surveys. This year, the White House is pointing the finger at Democrats.
Vice President JD Vance joined White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt for a press briefing Wednesday, where he said it was unfortunate that the Democrats put the country in this position.
“Look at the vote totals in the House. Look at the vote totals in the Senate, and look at the President of the United States’ own action and conduct throughout this crisis,” Vance said. “Nearly every single House Republican voted to open the government, nearly every single Senate Republican voted to open the government last night, and even to their credit, a few moderate Democrats voted to open the government. That’s not a Republican shutdown.”
Travel
Like the last shutdown, TSA employees and air traffic controllers are considered essential and will be working, even without pay. Passport renewal agencies will remain open but application processing time could take longer.
The State Department plans to furlough more than half of its U.S.-based staff during the shutdown. But embassies and consulates around the world will remain open and available to provide services to Americans traveling abroad.
Mail and other services
The U.S. Postal Service and veterans benefits will also be operating as normal, though there may be some delays. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs, services and payments will continue without interruption, as those are funded outside the regular appropriations process.
Weather and disaster aid
Weather forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and disaster experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency told CNN they plan to continue working without pay during the shutdown as two major tropical storms are traveling off the Southeast coast.
Food assistance
Vance noted in his remarks that families who rely on SNAP’s Women, Infants, and Children program “will not get it unless we reopen the government.” However, the agency noted that it currently has enough funding to temporarily keep providing services, but not for long. Devastating disruptions could happen if something is not passed soon, the organization said. SNAP will also eventually run out of funds.
The Food and Drug Administration will continue to respond to public health threats, product recalls, food safety, food supplies and drug shortages, The Associated Press reported.
Military
During a shutdown, all active duty military personnel will have to carry out their roles without pay. Those active duty members won’t get paid on time unless Congress decides to pass a separate bill like it has in the past with the 2013 “Pay our Military Act,” CBS News reported.
Leavitt noted in her briefing Wednesday that there are 1.3 million active duty members who will “work now without pay.” That figure is in addition to the nearly 50,000 Coast Guard members.
Some civilian workers will be expected to continue working while others will be furloughed. This will also impact the National Guard, which has been deployed in various cities across the country at Trump’s request to clean up crime.
Science funding
Office of Management and Budget Director Russel Vought announced that the Trump administration has canceled nearly $8 billion in funding for climate projects in many, primarily Democratic-led, states. Vought said that the funds were fueling the left’s “climate agenda” through the “Green New Scam.”
Nearly all of NASA’s employees will be heading home without pay during the shutdown, noncritical systems will be powered down, facilities will be secured and furlough notices will be given, the agency’s Continuity of Appropriations Plan outlined. Just a few of NASA’s “excepted” programs are going to continue, including safety of human life, the International Space Station, Satellite Operations and the Artemis Program.
The Environmental Protection Agency will keep more than 10% of its staff to handle “significant” activities in the agency that aim to protect life and property, the AP reported.
Medical research
Much of the National Institutes of Health work will be paused for the duration of the shutdown, including grant applications, peer review and council meetings, among other programs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will furlough more than half of its workers. Employees who will continue working during the shutdown include infectious disease outbreak workers and those who work in laboratories and with animals, the AP reported.
Recreation
While some states have put their own funds toward national parks to staff them in the event of a shutdown, others have not. Former park superintendents wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ahead of the shutdown, urging him to close the parks to protect people, animals and the land.
Economic impact
In the long term, a short shutdown won’t have a massive impact on the economy. Federal workers by law are paid for a shutdown period retroactively, but if it were to last a while, negative economic impacts could be seen.
Still, Wall Street and the Congressional Budget Office aren’t preparing for the worst. Given the 2018 shutdown was the longest in history and it only slightly and temporarily impacted economic growth, the current shutdown may not have major effects, NBC News reported. Plus, the S&P 500 closed at a record high on Wednesday as traders were hoping the shutdown would be brief and have little economic impact, CNBC noted.
Still, the uncertainty of the government and economic reports that were expected to be released shortly could make it harder for investors and businesses alike to plan for the future.
Furloughs, layoffs and no pay
This shutdown is different from previous government closures because Trump and his administration are threatening to lay off federal workers if Congress does not reopen the government quickly.
Leavitt said layoffs could come soon, as Trump has directed his Cabinet and the Office of Management and Budget to work with various federal agencies to “identify where cuts can be made.”
“We believe that layoffs are imminent,” she said. “They are, unfortunately, a consequence of this government shutdown.”
It’s not clear yet which employees would be furloughed and who could be laid off. Vance said in the press briefing Wednesday that no final decisions have been made, but the administration believes it might have to “take extraordinary steps,” particularly if the shutdown drags on.
Randy Erwin, the president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, joined CNN on Wednesday on behalf of the 110,000 federal employees he represents who will have to go without pay during the shutdown. He said it’s currently hard to know how many will be furloughed and how many will be forced to go without pay, and it’s largely dependent on how long it lasts.
Erwin said he was “appalled” by the Trump administration suggesting that layoffs will happen because it intimidates the “dedicated federal employees in this country.” People “should be appalled by that,” he said.
What to expect in Utah
Gov. Spencer Cox called out lawmakers in Washington, saying Utahns expect Congress to do its job.
He shared details about what to expect recreationally during the shutdown in the Beehive State.
Utah’s five national parks and 46 state parks will remain open, staffed and “ready to welcome visitors,” Cox said. It will largely look similar to previous shutdowns, since the state has covered the expenses to keep the parks open.
Still, with many Americans’ incomes impacted by a shutdown and people opting to stay home instead of traveling, the government closure could hit Utah’s vital fall and winter tourism sector.
Some military operations in Utah may be impacted, the Hill Air Force Base announced.
Hill Air Force Base said it remains committed to national defense and supporting operations, safety and readiness of its members and their families. Essential missions, airfield operations, security and emergency services, medical care, child development centers and legal offices will not be impacted. Service members will continue working, but “pay may be delayed.”
Nonexempt civilian employees will be furloughed and essential roles will continue without pay. Reduced staffing or closures will impact the base’s fitness centers, golf course, library, museum and other functions. Online communications and public affairs will not be updated and nonessential grounds work will not continue.
At universities across the state, research projects and program activities could be affected.
The University of Utah said operational and administrative activities related to federal oversight, including grants, cooperative agreements and contracts will “temporarily cease.” The university noted that there are both “broad factors” as well as “subtle nuances” that will impact the school and its ongoing projects.
Utah State University’s Sponsored Programs Office said it will continue to review, approve and submit proposals. Individuals should plan to submit proposals early. Awards and negotiations are on pause during the shutdown.
The university also said it will not be able to “draw down” federal funding and the school’s impact will depend on the duration of the shutdown.