Partial Federal Shutdown Begins Oct. 1

The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass funding, marking the first partial shutdown in about seven years. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed or working without pay—state tallies include roughly 111,000 in Georgia, about 45,000 in Illinois, roughly 130,000 in Texas, some 101,500 in Pennsylvania and nearly 29,709 in Massachusetts—with national totals likely far higher. Essential services such as the U.S. Postal Service, air traffic control and TSA will continue, but EPA pollution monitoring and Region 5 inspections have been suspended and many national parks have limited operations. The administration has directed agencies to prepare layoff plans beyond routine furloughs and unions have sued over threats of mass firings, while economists warn a prolonged shutdown could meaningfully damage the economy and consumer confidence. A 2019 law requires retroactive pay once funding is restored, but the short- and long-term impacts will depend heavily on the shutdown’s duration and how quickly Congress resolves the standoff.