A partial federal government shutdown is set to begin at midnight Eastern Standard Time, following the Senate’s approval of its amendment to House-passed H.R. 7148. The legislation advances five of the six remaining major appropriations bills and includes a short-term extension for the Department of Homeland Security. However, because the House will not reconvene until Monday, funding will lapse temporarily for several areas.
The shutdown will affect parts of the federal government responsible for Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; National Security and the Department of State; Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; Homeland Security; and Financial Services and General Government. Other sections of the government with full-year funding, such as Agriculture; Legislative Branch; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Interior and Environment; and Energy and Water appropriations bills, will not be impacted by this lapse.
Guam residents relying on federal support programs are expected to see continued service during this period. “Importantly for Guam, SNAP and WIC benefits will continue, and families who rely on these programs should not expect any interruption,” said Guam’s delegate in a statement. Essential services such as military operations, TSA screening at airports, postal services, Social Security payments, Medicare coverage, and Veterans Affairs services are also set to remain operational throughout the brief shutdown.
“As Guam’s delegate, I am closely monitoring developments and remain in communication with committee staff and federal agencies to ensure that Guam’s essential services, especially federally supported programs, are not disrupted,” the delegate stated. “The House is expected to vote on the Senate’s amendment to H.R. 7148 on Monday, and I will continue to keep our community informed as Congress works toward final resolution.”
The office of Guam’s delegate has offered assistance to community members who may have questions or need help during this period: “If anyone in our community has questions or needs assistance during this funding lapse, my office is here to help. Please contact us at (671) 922-6673 or email james.moylan@mail.house.gov.”
