Social security benefits? Passport? What the government shutdown would mean

Deirdre Shesgreen, Erin Kelly and Eliza Collins | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Here's what actually shuts down during a government shutdown Spoiler alert: nothing good. Video provided by Newsy

WASHINGTON — Funding to keep the federal lights on will run out at midnight on Friday unless Congress passes a new spending bill and President Trump signs it into law.

If negotiations collapse, most federal agencies would close and hundreds of thousands government workers would be furloughed. But not every part of the government would shutter.

Federal workers deemed “essential” would stay on the job and key government functions — such as national security operations and law enforcement work — remain up and running.

Federal agencies have some leeway in deciding how to carry out a shutdown, but based on previous spending stalemates, here's what you can expect:

Will troops get paid?

President Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that the “biggest loser” in a government shutdown would be the military. It’s a talking point used by many congressional Republicans hoping to put Democrats on the spot by saying a shutdown would mean the troops don’t get paid.

But the military gets paid on the 1st and 15th of every month. So the troops just received a paycheck, and they wouldn’t be due for another one until Feb. 1.

That means military personnel would not suffer a lapse in pay unless a government shutdown lasted until the end of the month — or longer.

While active duty military personnel will continue going to work, most civilian Department of Defense employees not deemed essential would be furloughed, said Christopher Sherwood, a Pentagon spokesman.

The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018

Will I still get my Social Security benefits?

Yes. Social Security is a mandatory program that will continue even if Congress fails to pass a spending bill.

Will lawmakers close their offices?

It depends. In the past, individual members of Congress have reacted differently, with some closing their district offices and others leaving them open. During previous shutdowns, lawmakers were advised that they did not have to furlough aides they needed to write laws, help them vote, or communicate with their constituents. That gives members of Congress quite a bit of leeway.

Will I still be able to get a passport? And what about the National Parks, monuments, and Smithsonian museums?

If you need a new passport, you might want to put in your request in now. The State Department's passport services are funded partly by fees, which means it is not completely dependent on Congress for money and may be able to continue to issue passports for at least a short time. But if the stalemate drags on, your application could be delayed.

You may still be able to visit your favorite national park or memorial, even if the government does shut down. The National Park Service said Thursday that war memorials and open air parks in the nation’s capital would remain open.

Additionally, many national parks, refuges and other public lands will have limited access wherever possible. Services that require staffing and maintenance, such as campgrounds, full service restrooms, and concessions that require some park staff or assistance will not be operating.

The White House said Friday that Smithsonian Institution museums and National Zoo in Washington will remain open this weekend in the event of a shutdown, but would start closing on Monday.

In addition, some states have paid to keep national parks in their states open.

Will travel be affected?

Probably not. Airports would remain open and air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officials would remain on the job. However, there could be some delays as "non-essential" employees are furloughed. You should also still be able to travel by train. Even though Amtrak depends on federal subsidies, it also gets revenue from ticket sales and has managed to stay open during past shutdowns.

Read more:

The four big fights Trump and Congress must resolve to avert a government shutdown

Shutdown watch: Conservatives may bend to keep Ryan from making a deal with Democrats

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