The federal government officially shut down at 12:01 a.m. EDT on October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution or full appropriations to fund operations. Nearly two weeks later, negotiations remain stalled in Washington as both parties blame each other for the impasse that has furloughed thousands of federal workers and disrupted services nationwide.
The Senate has voted down several temporary funding measures, and although talks continue, lawmakers have yet to reach agreement. Democrats have insisted on preserving health-care tax credits and Medicaid funding, while Republicans have pushed for tighter spending caps and limits on federal social programs. The White House has warned that prolonged inaction could delay paychecks for military personnel and federal employees and slow recovery projects in key areas, including Indiana.
As the shutdown continues, U.S. Representative Frank J. Mrvan has kept both his Washington, D.C., and Merrillville offices open and available to assist residents. He said U.S. Representative Frank J. Mrvan’s staff will remain accessible by phone and through his website during the lapse in funding. Constituents can contact the Merrillville District Office at (219) 795-1844 with questions or concerns. Mrvan’s office also shared a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions explaining how the shutdown might affect individuals and families.
What is a federal government shutdown and who will be affected?
• Each year, Congress must pass bills to approve funding for government agencies and services. If those bills aren’t passed on time, Congress can pass a short-term fix called a continuing resolution (CR) to keep money flowing until funding levels are ready.
• If there is no funding bill and no CR, the government shuts down because no funding has been approved.
• Every agency has its own plan for shutdowns. Many will have to stop or reduce services and furlough – place employees on temporary unpaid leave – until funding resumes. Others deemed essential must keep working without pay.
I have an issue with a federal agency, can I still call them for help? Can you help me instead?
• During a shutdown, many federal departments and agencies furlough workers, so their help desks may have little or no staffing.
• Constituents can contact Mrvan’s office to open a case. His team can reach out to agencies on behalf of residents and provide updates when possible.
• The office continues to engage with federal agencies, submitting paperwork and tracking cases, though some requests may not be processed until funding is restored.
Will the U.S. Postal Service still deliver mail?
• Yes. Mail delivery will continue normally during a shutdown.
Will I continue to receive my Social Security?
• A shutdown should not affect Social Security payments.
• The Social Security Administration will stop some activities like benefit verifications and processing overpayments, and the public may experience longer wait times.
Will Medicare or Medicaid be interrupted?
• Medicare and Medicaid will continue.
• Communications from the agencies or customer assistance may be delayed because of staff furloughs.
Will I keep getting my WIC and SNAP food benefits?
• Funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will run out quickly if the shutdown continues, potentially affecting families in need.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may also be affected in a prolonged shutdown.
Can veterans still get treatment at VA or access other services?
• VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers remain open.
• VA benefits, including compensation, pension, education, and housing, continue to be processed.
• Burial services, call centers, suicide-prevention programs, and homelessness services also continue.
Do military personnel continue working?
• Yes, all military personnel continue their duties but will not receive pay until funding is passed.
What will be the impact on federal housing programs?
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is operating with limited staff, halting new grants and housing inspections except when necessary for safety.
• Public Housing Authorities may continue issuing vouchers based on their financial ability.
What is the impact on small businesses?
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will not approve new business loans under the 7(a) and 504 programs.
• The SBA’s Disaster Loan Program will continue as usual.
How will travel be impacted?
• TSA officers and air-traffic controllers are working without pay, so travelers should expect delays.
• Passport applications should continue to be processed, and U.S. embassies and consulates remain open.
Will immigration applications still be processed?
• Visa and passport operations are fee-funded and generally unaffected.
• Immigration court cases for detained individuals will proceed, while non-detained cases are rescheduled once funding resumes.
Clarification on immigrant health coverage: Federal law does not provide Affordable Care Act subsidies or full-scope Medicaid to undocumented immigrants; only emergency care is reimbursed through Emergency Medicaid, and hospitals are required under federal law to treat and stabilize patients regardless of ability to pay. Some states choose to fund limited services for certain populations, but those are state decisions—not federal earmarks in this budget.
Hospital impact if related federal support is reduced or delayed: Safety-net hospitals and community clinics absorb more uncompensated care, face cash-flow strain, and may scale back services, outreach, or staffing. Rural and urban safety-net facilities serving large Medicaid and uninsured populations would be most affected.
When funds flow: Once a funding bill is signed, agencies receive apportionments and can obligate and disburse money immediately, retroactive to October 1. Payments to hospitals and grantees resume on the next payment cycles; existing awards continue under their grant terms, while any defunded lines do not resume unless Congress later restores them.
Will the Indiana Dunes National Park remain open?
• Trails and beaches remain open, but the visitor center is closed.
• Trash pickup, restrooms, and road maintenance may be limited.
The Broader Battle Behind the Shutdown
To end the government shutdown, Congress must pass, and the President must sign, appropriations bills to fund the departments and agencies that have been closed. The President cannot end a shutdown unilaterally – acting alone without approval from Congress. Until lawmakers resolve the impasse, thousands of federal employees will remain furloughed, and millions of Americans will continue to feel the effects in both visible and unseen ways.
Democrats in Congress, along with researchers at the Brookings Institution, have argued that the 2017 Trump tax law deepened inequality and reduced federal revenue. Their current position in the budget standoff is rooted in undoing or reshaping those cuts. They are calling for raising the corporate income tax rate from 21 percent to 25–28 percent, restoring the top individual rate to 39.6 percent, and phasing out deductions that largely benefit the wealthy. The administration also supports expanding tax credits for working families.
Republicans say their goal in holding down federal spending is to avoid reversing the 2017 tax cuts, which they argue helped spur investment, job creation, and business growth. Many in the party contend that allowing spending to rise or restoring higher tax rates would erase the progress made under that law. However, several nonpartisan studies, including analyses by the Congressional Research Service and the Tax Policy Center, found that the Trump-era tax cuts had only a short-term effect on corporate investment and did little to sustain wage growth for middle- and lower-income workers.
In fact, subsequent research from the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Harvard Business Review has shown that the surge in corporate stock option buybacks following the 2017 tax cuts coincided with CEOs and senior executives selling large volumes of their own stock, cashing in on higher share prices that were driven by those same repurchases—rather than by new hiring, wage increases, or long-term business expansion.
This is why the Democrats are insisting that partially reversing those tax cuts would help sustain Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act without increasing the deficit. The result is a standoff that reflects two competing visions: one that prioritizes protecting government programs for working families, and another that seeks to restrain spending to preserve the tax framework established in 2017.
For residents of Northwest Indiana, the outcome will determine not only when the government reopens but how fairly the nation’s resources are shared in the years ahead.