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The longest government shutdown in US history is over – at least on paper. But the American public’s work isn’t done yet: Getting everything back up and running doesn’t happen all at once.
Due to being closed for 43 days, its impact varied. Some people, such as unpaid federal employees, were immediately and directly affected. Others included recipients of federal funding through programs such as Head Start and food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
As the shutdown progressed, the impact increased. Passengers’ troubles increased due to delays and flight cancellations Federal Aviation Administration Airlines were ordered to cut flights due to the lack of air traffic controllers. but were closed smithsonian Museum site and National Zoo (although the animals still get fed).
That’s a lot of programs, agencies and systems. Getting back to “normal” won’t be immediate. Here’s a guide to what reopening will look like:
federal worker
What happened: According to official estimates, about 1.25 million federal workers have not been paid since October 1, resulting in a loss of about $16 billion in wages. Employees were either furloughed or worked without pay in federal government agencies. Many people struggled to make ends meet during that time, and the regional economy around Washington, DC took a hit.
What now: The Office of Personnel Management, which manages the civil service, posted on Twitter that federal employees are expected to return Thursday, saying “Employees are expected to start the workday on time. Normal operating procedures are in effect.” The outstanding salaries of the employees will come by November 19. According to a senior administration official, the money will go in four different installments depending on the agency.
help from the heat
What happened: The shutdown coincided with the arrival of frigid temperatures, and funding for a $4.1 billion low-income home energy assistance program was halted, causing some states to delay payment of heating bills.
Now what: A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that an agency within HHS “will work expeditiously to administer the annual awards,” but gave no timeline. Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, said it could take until mid-December or longer. Wolfe said recipients should still submit applications and tell utility companies they are waiting for the funds. This is trickier for those who rely on oil and propane because there is usually no protection. Recipients should check their state; Vermont returned the funding and Connecticut has promised to cover the costs.
flight disruption
What happened: The shutdown caused significant disruption to aviation, leaving more and more unpaid air traffic controllers out of work as they dealt with financial pressures and some of them picked up side jobs. Staff shortages and some troubling safety data led the government to order airlines last week to cut some of their flights to ease pressure on the system.
What now: Those cuts aren’t expanding yet, but the Federal Aviation Administration won’t lift the order until safety metrics improve. Airlines say they expect to resume normal operations soon after. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said that controllers and other FAA employees should receive 70% of their previous pay within 24–48 hours of the shutdown ending, with the rest still to come.
Federal social programs: SNAP
What happened: The shutdown’s most high-profile impact was on the SNAP program, which serves about 42 million people — about 1 in 8 Americans — in low-income households. A series of court decisions and policy changes trump The administration made a patchwork distribution of November benefits. While some states had already released full benefits, about two-thirds of states had released only partial benefits or not at all.
Now what: On Thursday, state officials said they were working quickly to get full benefits to millions of people who have missed their regular monthly payments. Some states say SNAP recipients should receive their full monthly benefits by Thursday or Friday, although it could take up to a week.
Federal social programs: the beginning
What happened: When it comes to Head Start, the shutdown halted the distribution of federal grant payments. Some affected centers remained open by furloughing some of their staff or using emergency reserves. Others were forced to close, leaving child care out of reach for thousands of families. Head Start serves children ages birth to 5 who come from families that qualify for federal low-income guidelines, are homeless or receive public assistance. The program also provides preschool education as well as developmental screening and free meals.
Now what: Emily Hilliard, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the Office of Head Start will expedite funding and contact affected programs directly to let them know when they can expect federal funds. The office is already operating at reduced capacity after experiencing substantial layoffs earlier this year. But even when programs get their money, program leaders worry about staffing shortages if many furloughed employees have already found other jobs. Some advocates said it could take several weeks for some programs across the country to receive funding and resume operations.
taxes
What happened: The Internal Revenue Service closed walk-in assistance centers.
What now: Centers are being reopened. The agency said all tax deadlines will remain in effect but that a backlog of paper correspondence developed during the shutdown, so responses will be delayed. Social Security recipients continued to receive payments during the shutdown. Local offices also remained open, although they temporarily suspended some services, including replacing Medicare cards and updating earnings records.
Education
What happened: The Education Department fired 466 Education Department employees in a firing by the government to pressure Democratic lawmakers over the shutdown. Those layoffs were blocked by a federal judge. The department furloughed 2,117 employees at the start of the shutdown, but some were brought back for essential work. New grants were also put on hold during the shutdown. Most school districts received the bulk of their federal funding over the summer, but some grants have been delayed.
Now what: The department said Thursday it has reinstated all staff members who were fired or furloughed in the Trump administration’s mass shootings. Recipients of Impact Aid, which boosts the budgets of districts with large amounts of federal land that cannot be taxed for local schools, were waiting to know when their payments would be processed.
army
What happened: Members of the US military faced weeks of worry about whether they would get paid while continuing to work. The Trump administration eventually found ways to pay troops for two pay periods during the shutdown. But the process was difficult; The administration traced the money only a few days before each pay check. For many service members who received early direct deposit, pay arrived a few days later than usual, hampering their ability to pay bills and forcing some to pay late fees or take out loans. Advocates said reimbursement for the cost of moving between bases, which affects about 400,000 military families each year, was halted during the closure. And weekend practices were canceled for many reservists, eliminating a portion of pay that could amount to several hundred dollars each month.
What now: Civilians started returning to the Defense Department from Thursday. The Air Force said civilians can take a day of administrative leave or work remotely for up to a week, according to a memo provided to The Associated Press. Several military officials said the impact on active-duty troops has been minimal.
national park
What happened: The country’s national parks remained open largely with limited staff during the shutdown. Outside groups and state governments worked to keep visitor centers running during the shutdown and help clean up trash at many parks. And the Trump administration used previously collected admission fees to pay for cleaning toilets and other basic services. But these efforts didn’t stop vandals from defacing rock features along the Devil’s Garden Trail in Arches National Park in Utah and demolishing a stone wall at Devil’s Den in Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.
Now what: National Park Service employees were ordered back to work Thursday. Kristen Brengle of the National Park Conservation Association said it will take time for rangers to fully assess the parks, including backcountry areas, and more damage may still be discovered. No fees were collected during the shutdown, causing the parks to lose approximately $1 million in revenue per day.
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What happened: The Smithsonian buildings and the National Zoo were closed for the first time on October 12. They are usually open every day except Christmas. The 20 sites combined hosted more than 16 million people last year, and the organization has more than 3,600 federal employees. While the zoo has been closed, popular livestream feeds capturing the famous giant panda G were offline. Normally active social media pages sharing updates and colorful photos of the animals were silent. The animals continue to be fed and cared for.
Now what: The Smithsonian’s two museums along the National Mall — American History and Air and Space — were scheduled to reopen Friday. The organization says on its website that the rest of the Smithsonian’s sites in the Washington area and new york Will be reopened by Monday on a rolling basis.
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Associated Press journalists Tia Goldenberg, David A. Lieb, Makiya Seminara, Susan High, Josh Funk, RJ Rico, Anne Ma, Ben Finley, Konstantin Toropin, Matthew Brown and Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from across the country.