On October 1, the United States woke up to a government shutdown. This means the Senate was not able to approve some budgets on time and has left thousands of agencies without funds to operate normally. A real disaster.
The news has set off alarms, especially among those who depend on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC.
The question many are asking is: will the payments keep coming?
What happens in a government shutdown
A shutdown happens when Congress fails to approve either a budget or a temporary measure to keep some projects funded. In this case, Democrats rejected a Republican bill.
They needed 60 votes to pass a seven-week federal funding program, and obviously it was not approved.
By rejecting the proposal, federal agencies and departments will not have enough funds to continue their work, and nonessential government employees will be furloughed or placed on temporary leave (without pay) until a political agreement is reached.
Social Security checks are safe
There is no need to worry. Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits are guaranteed for all recipients.
The services affected are those related to benefit verification, replacement of Medicare IDs, or issuing SSA cards.
And food assistance?
The situation is more complicated for WIC and SNAP programs. WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) could only function for a limited time if the shutdown drags on. And while SNAP benefits are guaranteed for October, no one can guarantee there won’t be delays in November if the paralysis continues. For families that depend on these programs, each day of uncertainty matters.
How long could it last
Nobody knows. If the shutdown lasts a few days, the situation will be manageable and hardly noticeable, but if it goes on for more than a month (as it did in 2018, when it lasted 35 days), the consequences will be felt much more across the country: employees without pay, stalled projects, and families unsure how to make ends meet or how to feed themselves.
Federal workers on pause will receive their pay retroactively once the budget is approved, but in the meantime they have to live with uncertainty, and nobody likes that.
Beyond the payments
Every day of shutdown means millions in losses for the country’s economy. Research projects are halted, safety inspections are delayed, and small businesses that depend on federal contracts are left hanging. Add to that the growing distrust in Washington, which increases with every day without an agreement. Are our leaders really not able to agree on a budget that affects the entire population?
One more day of shutdown, although for now SSA payments will keep coming. We can’t say the same for WIC and SNAP. If Congress doesn’t act soon, families will be the ones to feel the consequences of their failure to react in time. Behind every budget, there aren’t just numbers, there are families who depend on it to survive. How long will this standoff last?