A federal shutdown is upon us. Funding lapses at midnight unless Congress passes a stopgap bill. Essential operations continue but many services pause and hundreds of thousands of federal workers face furloughs until a deal is reached.
What stays open and what pauses
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Air travel security air traffic control and federal law enforcement continue. Workers are expected to report without pay until funding resumes. Some delays are possible if the lapse drags on.
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Social Security Medicare and Medicaid benefits continue. The Postal Service continues because it is not funded through annual appropriations.
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Many parks museums and non essential agency services may close or scale back. Check local alerts before visiting.
About that claim that Democrats want to give money to undocumented immigrants
You may see posts saying Democrats are trying to fund free health care for undocumented immigrants as part of this fight. That is false. Federal law bars people without lawful status from enrolling in Affordable Care Act marketplaces and from receiving ACA subsidies or traditional Medicaid and Medicare. Major outlets have reported that this talking point is misinformation.
Here is what Democrats are actually pushing in the funding talks. They want to keep in place enhanced ACA premium tax credits so that people who buy coverage on the exchanges do not face a jump in monthly costs. Roughly twenty four million Americans who use the ACA would see higher premiums if those credits expire.
Why this matters
When the debate is framed around a false choice the public loses sight of real stakes. This shutdown fight is about whether millions of Americans keep affordable health coverage and whether federal workers and the communities they serve face a sudden unpaid furlough. Clear facts make better policy and better politics.
At Civic Goods we try to keep the signal loud and the noise low. If you want a quick way to show your values while the headlines churn take a look at our Unprecedented, Again designs.
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