As the U.S. government shutdown 2025 begins, hundreds of thousands of federal workers faced immediate financial strain. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that 750,000 federal employees are being furloughed, while “essential” staff such as TSA agents, Border Patrol officers, and air traffic controllers must continue working without pay.
“The number of furloughed employees could vary because some agencies might furlough more workers the longer a shutdown persists,” the CBO noted.
In past shutdowns, furloughed staff have received back pay once the government reopened, but the uncertainty creates anxiety across households nationwide.
Military Families Prepare for Missed Paychecks
While the Oct. 1 paychecks for the military’s 2 million troops have already gone out, their next scheduled payday on Oct. 15 could be in jeopardy. For military families, the impact is personal and immediate.
Jaime Billert of New York, whose husband serves in the U.S. Coast Guard, told media she has already spoken to her children about cutting back.
“Your dad’s not getting paid right now. That’s our sole source of income,” she said.
U.S. Government Shutdown 2025 Begins as Funding Fight Escalates
Essential Workers Without Pay
Corrections officer Jon Zumkehr, who also serves as president of Local 4070 of the American Federation of Government Employees, said staff at the federal prison in Thomson, Illinois, are deeply concerned about how long the standoff could drag on.
The last major shutdown in late 2018 stretched 35 days — the longest in history — and cost the U.S. economy $11 billion, according to the CBO.
Services and Programs at Risk
National parks will remain partially open but with reduced staffing, raising fears of vandalism and damage to natural habitats — a problem that surfaced during previous shutdowns.
The Smithsonian Institution announced its museums, research centers, and the National Zoo will stay open through at least Oct. 6 using prior-year funds.
But critical programs could soon be disrupted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture warned that the WIC program, which supports 7 million low-income mothers and children, may run out of funding within a week.
What Remains Unaffected
Some federal services will continue. The U.S. Postal Service will keep operating, Social Security checks will go out on schedule, and federal student aid will remain available, though student loan payments are still due.
Unequal Impacts
While ordinary families juggle missed paychecks and disrupted services, members of Congress will continue to draw their $174,000 annual salaries, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
For many Americans, the shutdown underscores a widening gap between political brinkmanship in Washington and the day-to-day lives of workers and families forced to bear the consequences.
