The U.S. government shut down much of its operations just after midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 1, as a standoff between Congress and the White House over expiring health benefits prevented a funding deal, halting all but the most essential of federal services.

About 800,000 federal employees went without pay for 35 days during the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown in 2018 and 2019, USA TODAY previously reported.

Here is what’s open and closed in a government shutdown.

What happens during a government shutdown?

During a government shutdown, all federal agencies and services deemed non-essential must stop working, affecting thousands of federal employees and, in turn, millions of Americans.

Essential services, like military and law enforcement, remain working.

What's open during a government shutdown?

Here are some services that remain open during a government shutdown. But keep in mind that some services may face disruption or delays. For example, during the 2018-2019 shutdown, air traffic controllers worked without pay, causing widespread delays.

  • U.S. Postal Service
  • Medicare
  • Social Security payments continue, but some SSA services could be impacted
  • Air-traffic control
  • Banks
  • Courts (local, state and federal)
  • Border security
  • Disaster aid
  • Federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA and prison staff will remain operational. The Secret Service and Coast Guard will continue their duties.
  • The military: All active-duty personnel stay on the job, but 741,477 civilian employees − nearly half of the Department of War, formerly known as the Department of Defense, could face furloughs.
  • In general, national parks will remain open “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors," according to the Department of Interior's contingency plan. But the National Park Service will not operate nor offer visitor services in parks without accessible areas, and facilities or areas that are typically locked or secured after business hours will largely remain so during the shutdown. Read more here.

What's closed during a government shutdown?

Here's are some places and services that could close during a government shutdown:

  • Visitor centers and tours of federal government buildings including the U.S. Capitol, White House, and FBI Building.
  • Smithsonian museums could close in the event that the shutdown runs beyond Oct. 6.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Day 5 of the federal government shutdown - what's open and closed?

Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund and Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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