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Fact check: Which government services are exempt from the shutdown and continue to operate?
Executive Summary
A government shutdown spares mandatory and national-security functions, so programs funded by mandatory spending and essential operations continue, while discretionary activities are paused or curtailed; this is consistent across multiple recent summaries dated late September 2025 [1] [2]. Reporting and agency statements converge on core continuations—Social Security, Medicare, parts of Medicaid, Veterans Affairs core services, air traffic control, federal courts, and the U.S. Postal Service—but vary on which ancillary services like park staffing, passport processing, and certain public assistance operations may be limited [2] [3].
1. Who really keeps getting paid — mandatory programs that survive the halt
Reports agree that Social Security and Medicare payments continue because they are covered by mandatory spending and are not subject to annual appropriations, so monthly benefits proceed even in a lapse [1] [2]. Coverage for Medicaid shows more nuance: while Medicaid itself is an entitlement and core payments continue, administrative functions and some state-shared operations may face disruptions, which could affect verifications or staffing. Multiple pieces from late September 2025 highlight that benefit distribution is prioritized, but routine customer-service tasks and corrections to records may be delayed as discretionary personnel are furloughed [1].
2. National security, courts and transportation — the “must-run” machinery
Consensus reporting states that national security operations, air traffic control, and many law-enforcement activities continue because they are designated essential to protect life and property; the Federal Aviation Administration keeps controllers on duty, and federal courts generally remain open though some litigation functions pause [2]. Coverage emphasizes that essential personnel often work without immediate pay during a shutdown, creating operational and morale strains. Late-September accounts flag that while core functions persist, capacity and responsiveness can erode over time if funding gaps lengthen, a detail noted across several summaries [2].
3. Veterans’ services — core care stays but some programs pause
The Department of Veterans Affairs has publicly stated that core VA hospitals, outpatient clinics, the 24-hour Veterans Crisis Line, and cemetery burials continue during funding lapses, prioritizing life-sustaining and benefits services [4]. Reporting from September 22 and later reiterates this protection, while noting that noncritical services such as career counseling, transition assistance, and certain administrative programs may be suspended or scaled back, which could affect veterans seeking employment or reenlistment-related supports [4]. Coverage frames VA actions as balancing legal obligations with workforce constraints.
4. Postal service, weather and other self-funded agencies that keep operating
Multiple accounts underscore that the U.S. Postal Service and the National Weather Service continue normal operations because USPS is self-funded and weather forecasting is deemed essential to public safety [2]. These observations from late September 2025 point out that some agencies funded through fees or non-annual appropriations avoid shutdown shutdown impacts, though they may still coordinate with furloughed colleagues in other departments. The coverage highlights a distinction: service continuity does not mean zero disruption, since interagency cooperation and shared infrastructure can still be affected.
5. Parks, passports and discretionary services that are most visible to the public
News summaries uniformly identify national parks, passport processing, and many public-facing administrative services as vulnerable to closure or limited operations during a shutdown [2]. While some park sites may remain open with minimal staffing, others close for safety and resource reasons. Passport backlogs and delayed federal permit processing are repeatedly cited as immediate, visible consequences. Reporting warns that the public impact is often about convenience and access, rather than benefit payments, but can still impose real costs on travel, tourism, and business planning.
6. Food assistance and programs with mixed outcomes
Sources diverge on nutrition programs: summaries from September 11 indicate school meal programs and SNAP continue, while WIC might be at risk, reflecting varying funding structures and state-level administration [3]. This nuance shows that some assistance streams are insulated by mandatory funding or alternative financing mechanisms, while others rely on discretionary funds and face cuts. Analysts stress that local implementation and state flexibility determine real-world impacts, leading to uneven outcomes across jurisdictions.
7. What the reporting agrees on and what to watch next
Late-September 2025 coverage converges on a core framework: mandatory spending and essential safety functions persist, discretionary programs are paused, and agency-by-agency details determine the exact disruptions [2] [1]. Differences across the pieces reflect emphasis choices—some focus on veterans and benefits continuity, others on visible public-service interruptions—so readers should monitor agency notices and official guidance. The primary watchpoints are furlough durations, agency contingency plans, and whether Congress enacts stopgap funding to restore full operations [4].