The federal government’s partial shutdown is entering its thirteenth day on Monday, Oct. 13, and coincides with Columbus Day, a federal holiday, as well as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which is recognized in some cities and states.Over the weekend, President Donald Trump insisted that 1.3 million active-duty military troops would get paid this week, regardless of the shutdown, by accessing funds set aside for research and development.“I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday, Oct. 11.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called Democrats back to Washington, D.C. for a Tuesday, Oct. 14 evening meeting “to discuss a path forward in connection with the Republican shutdown and the healthcare crisis they have created.”
Here’s a look at the shutdown nearly two weeks in, and what we know about its impact in Kentucky.
Is the federal government still shut down?
Yes. The federal government remains largely shut down, but Monday, Oct. 13, is a federal holiday, so government agencies, including banks and post offices, are also closed.
Nearly 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed and ordered not to report to work. Other employees, including military personnel and air traffic controllers, must work without pay until a budget deal is reached.
What do Democrats and Republicans want for the government to reopen?
Democrats are pushing to ensure tax breaks for 24 million Americans who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act (referred to as “Obama Care”) and have refused to back a government spending bill that doesn’t address the issue.The Senate Dems would make the tax break permanent, which would otherwise expire at the end of the year, and provide reassurances to prevent the Trump administration from temporarily withholding funds.While Republicans and the president say they are open to considering a fix for the expiring ACA tax breaks, the issue should be addressed separately from the ongoing budget impasse. Republicans have also claimed that the Democratic proposal could partially pay for health coverage for people who are in the country illegally. That’s not true, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
How many federal employees will be affected in Kentucky?
The federal government employs roughly 2.3 million people across the country. There are 23,449 federal civilian employees in Kentucky — not including military personnel or federal contractors, according to the Congressional Research Service.
A report the agency published Sept. 12 cites numbers provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management whose latest figures are dated from September 2024.
How was Kentucky affected during the last government shutdown?
The last government shutdown in 2018 and 2019 impacted the national parks, the farming community and access to various types of loans, among other things. Learn more from The Courier Journal.
What happens to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.
Payments will likewise continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.
Does the U.S. mail get delivered?
Since Monday is a federal holiday, there will be no mail service. However, starting on Tuesday, Oct. 14, the U.S. Postal Service will reopen because it does not depend on Congress for funding, USPS said in a statement.
What about the airports?
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are still required to show up for work during the shutdown. According to Reuters, controllers are set to receive a partial paycheck on Oct. 14 for work performed before the shutdown.
Will food aid continue under SNAP and WIC?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food aid program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, will continue operations during a shutdown as funds allow, according to a shutdown planning document published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Learn more from The Courier Journal.
What does a shutdown mean for the military?
While active military may get paid, roughly 55% of the Defense Department’s 740,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, including those involved in training, procurement and administrative support. Civilians working in cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence, and logistics are still working and are not included in the directive to ensure payment by Oct. 15.
National Guard forces that Trump has deployed to U.S. cities must also continue to work.
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What about Homeland Security, immigration and border officers?
Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s 271,000 workers have been furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training, and auditing.
Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel, and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency workers remain on the job.The shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is on track to become the fourth-longest in U.S. history, eclipsing the twelve-day shutdown in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days during Trump’s first term, from 2018 to 2019.Contributors: USA TODAY Network staff members Terry Moseley, Zac Anderson, Joey Garrison, Gabe Hauari, Bart Jansen, Kathryn Palmer, Zachary Schermele, Mike Snider, Lauren Villagran, Sarah D. Wire and John Tufts. Reach Marina Johnson at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Is federal government still shut down? What to know on Monday, Oct. 13
