(Rep. Mark Amodei) – The House Appropriations Committee fulfilled our constitutional duty to pass all 12 funding bills to be considered on the House floor.
Unfortunately, the process was deliberately stalled leaving little wiggle room to complete the process before the September 30th funding deadline.
The Senate failed to pass the continuing resolution approved by the House on September 19.
As a result, the deadline has passed and the federal government is now officially shut down.
My offices will remain open during normal business hours if you are in need of assistance.
HOW WILL THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AFFECT DIFFERENT AGENCIES?
First, what is a lapse in appropriations?
A “lapse in appropriations” occurs when there are no appropriated funds to pay for an agency or program, as a result of no enacted appropriations law providing those funds.
The Constitution requires that no money leave the Treasury except as a consequence of an appropriation.
According to the White House, in accordance with Circular A-11, agency contingency plans for a lapse in appropriations are hosted solely on each agency’s website.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When will the shutdown go into effect?
Because Congress failed to pass a short-term funding bill to give more time for negotiations on FY26 appropriations, the federal government shut down at midnight on September 30.
Which federal employees continue to work?
During the event of a government shutdown, agencies must classify their employees as “essential” or “nonessential”.
Those classified as “essential” will continue working throughout the government shutdown, receiving pay at the first of the month for the preceding month.
Click here for more information regarding shutdown furloughs.
Will furloughed federal employees receive back pay in the event of a government shutdown?
Before 2019, federal employees who were furloughed during a funding gap were not entitled to retro-active pay unless language within the subsequent spending authority provided for such payments.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, 31 U.S.C. §1341, now statutorily requires retroactive pay for furloughed and essential employees following the end of a lapse in government funding.
The exact timeframe for retro-active payment will depend on the length of the lapse in government funding and start date of the enacted continuing resolution or appropriations bill.
The normal payroll cycle may be disrupted by a lapse in appropriations and checks may be issued at irregular times.
Will I continue to receive my Social Security, Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) checks?
Yes. Social Security checks will continue to be mailed out.
What happens to Medicaid and Medicare?
Medicare and Medicaid will be unaffected and operate normally under a shutdown.
Will Veterans’ Hospitals remain open?
Yes. Veteran health care is not impacted. VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers will be open.
Click here for the Department of Veterans Affairs contingency plan.
Will I continue to receive my mail?
Yes. United States Postal Service operations will not be impacted.
Will National Parks be open?
Effective immediately in the event of a lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service will take all necessary steps to suspend all activities and secure national park facilities that operate using appropriations that would lapse, except for those that are essential to respond to emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.
Click here for the Department of Interior’s contingency plan.
What will happen to the Department of Defense and active duty military?
The DoD and active duty military will be unaffected in the event of a government shutdown.
LOOKING AHEAD
As I’ve said before, I do not find government shutdowns to be an effective or responsible tool for negotiation – especially when it comes to providing critical funding for the programs and agencies Americans rely on.
That’s why I’ve done everything possible to keep our government open and operational.
I voted in favor of H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, a clean, short-term continuing resolution that would have prevented a shutdown.
The bill extended the September 30 funding deadline to November 21, 2025, maintained current Fiscal Year 2025 funding levels, and allowed more time for the Appropriations process to restore regular order and complete work on Fiscal Year 2026 funding bills.
Unfortunately, Senate Democrats rejected this measure, allowing the shot clock to expire.
To be clear, this CR was only a seven-week extension.
Yet my colleagues across the aisle insisted on adding an additional $1.5 trillion in new taxpayer funded spending, or else it was a dealbreaker.
That kind of approach is reckless.
I share the goal of tackling rising healthcare costs, but clinging to a one-path solution as leverage to justify shutting down the government does nothing to address the problem.
History shows shutdowns have the opposite effect – raising costs for taxpayers and leaving families and workers to face greater uncertainty.
We need to return to commonsense, good-faith negotiations that prioritize fiscal responsibility and a government that is effective, sustainable, and serves the American people today and for generations to come.
As always, I will keep you updated on new developments.
My hope is that we can put aside our differences, fulfill our constitutional responsibilities, and quickly restore operations for the millions of Americans who rely on these essential government services.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Thank you for subscribing to the Amodei Report.
I look forward to continuing to keep you up to date on the issues you care about most.
For additional information, please call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, or Reno office: (775) 686-5760, or visit my website at Amodei.house.gov.
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Sincerely,
Mark E. Amodei
Member of Congress
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