Government shutdown facts
10 ways a government shutdown could affect you:
1. SENIORS' & VETERANS' BENEFITS, JOBLESS AID: Social Security, veterans disability and unemployment benefits could be delayed if the shutdown is prolonged. Medicare and Medicaid payment processing could also be delayed.
2. PASSPORTS: People who are planning a trip and need a passport could get stuck in limbo as passport services are shut down.
3. STUDENT LOANS: New student-loan applications for federal money to help pay for college would most likely not be processed.
4. SMALL BUSINESS LOANS: Small businesses seeking loans from the SBA would be put on hold.
5. GUN PERMITS: Applications for gun permits could be delayed because processing them would most likely not be considered an essential function for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
6. MEDICAL RESEARCH: Medical research at the National Institutes of Health would be disrupted.
7. COURT CASES: Federal bankruptcy cases and delinquent child-support cases may not be heard.
8. FHA MORTGAGE LOANS: Mortgage loans could be delayed because the Federal Housing Administration would likely close.
9. PAYCHECKS: Federal employees and government contractors would not be paid.
10. PARKS & FORESTS: National parks, forests and monuments could close.
Helpful Links and Resources
USA Today: 66 questions and answers about the government shutdown
Washington Post: Absolutely everything you need to know about how the government shutdown will work
Politico: What is a government shutdown? How they came to be
Arizona Capitol Times: Government shutdown could cost state millions as national parks close
U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans Field Guide to Government Shutdown