Amanda Ross

Editor-In-Chief

This post was originally published on October 22.

Since Oct. 1, 2025, the federal government has been in a shutdown. Now, four weeks out, vital services such as food assistance are beginning to halt.

The shutdown originally began over issues regarding cuts to government spending on healthcare, with Democrat lawmakers refusing to sign a yearly budget until the cuts to the affordable care act were either reversed or scaled back significantly. Due to the lack of a budget, the government entered a shutdown period which can only be lifted once a budget is passed. 

Following his previous statements, President Trump attempted to layoff 4000 federal workers during the shutdown. These layoffs came from departments already affected by downsizing from the Department of Government Efficiency, and included departments like the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. A U.S. district judge in California blocked the order on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, with both unions claiming that the layoffs were politically motivated. If the layoffs were to proceed as planned, they would add to the 128,000 workers who have been fired since the beginning of Trump’s term. 

Food assistance programs are also experiencing issues. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is funded entirely through the federal government.  While benefits were paid out for October, the Pennsylvania state government has said that participants will most likely not receive benefits for November on time. Food banks across the country are preparing for an influx of customers. 

Other services, such as the Postal System will remain open and operate as normal. National parks in several states have begun to close for the foreseeable future, as the necessary funding for both operations and employees has not been received. While military personnel are still being paid, many are reporting not being paid the correct amount in their latest paycheck. As of now, it is not clear when the shutdown will end.