Here’s what will and won’t stop in a government shutdown

With Congress on track to miss a midnight Saturday deadline for keeping the government open, millions of federal employees will be furloughed and many others forced to work without pay for now. A handful of programs that people nationwide rely on everyday could be disrupted — but the ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at the impacted agencies.

Will SNAP be affected? What about WIC?

A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.

Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk almost immediately, according to the Biden administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carry-over funds.

About 58,000 Iowa women, children and infants are at risk of losing assistance, according to a White House breakdown.

Families who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, households would receive SNAP assistance as usual through October regardless of congressional action.

A lost month of benefits would hurt over 230,000 Iowans, most in households with children, and take $43 million out of the state economy, the Iowa Hunger Coalition says.

What about free school lunch?

The Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals, because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.

In a shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months afterward, according to the department. But they would not be able to support them for the full year without appropriations.

Will I continue to receive Social Security?

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients would continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed because of furloughs. The issuance of new Social Security cards and replacements will continue.

Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?

Medicare and Medicaid benefits will continue — both are mandatory programs funded separately from appropriations. That means patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid. But there could be disruptions to customer service.

Health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also operate.

Common Good Iowa notes the shutdown could limit oversight and technical assistance to states at time when the “unwinding” of pandemic-era health care coverage provisions requires states to redetermine eligibility for all Medicaid and Hawki (CHIP) enrollees. It comes as 30 states, including Iowa, are required to restore coverage to people — up to 50,000 in Iowa — who were incorrectly cut from the program.

How could flights and travel be impacted?

The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that air travel will remain safe, but that training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.

The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week.

Will federal court cases continue?

The federal judiciary would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary. Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country.

In the Northern District of Iowa, jurors are scheduled to report for duty Monday so that a jury can be sworn in for a criminal trial, said Paul De Young, the clerk of court.

Would mail services slow down?

The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown.

Will Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum be open?

No. “You can walk around the park, but all of the buildings and visitor center will be closed and no ranger will be available to assist with interpretive services,” said Brad Reiners, communications director of the Hoover Presidential Foundation.

Reiners said the West Branch museum employs about 15 people

Trish Mehaffey and Tom Barton of The Gazette contributed to this report.