Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is not affected by a government shutdown. The U.S. Postal Service is an independent entity that is funded through the sale of its products and services, and not by tax dollars.

Yes, you will still receive Social Security payments, and Medicare will continue during a lapse in appropriations. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will dramatically increase.

The Medicare annual open enrollment period beginning October 15 should not be affected.

If a government shutdown occurs, WIC will expire immediately, and beneficiaries will not be able to access their benefits. Medicare and Medicaid services will largely continue as normal, but you may experience difficulties reaching these agencies as some employees will be furloughed.

10,000 children across the country would immediately lose access to Head Start because the Department of Health and Human Services wouldn’t be able to award Head Start Grants during a shutdown. This would be devastating at a time when so many families in North Carolina and across the country are already struggling to afford the rising costs of child care.

In the event of a government shutdown, the Small Business Administration (SBA) cannot accept, review, or approve any new business loans -- including SBA's primary loan to small businesses. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA will have limited staff during a shutdown, and the processing or closing of FHA-insured loans may be delayed. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more serious the impact will be. 

Here’s the bottom line: House conservatives must stop fighting with one another and agree to fund the government. A government shutdown will disrupt the lives of people in Wake County and across the country. This is not what the American people sent us to Washington to do. As we approach the government funding deadline, please know that I am doing everything I can to keep the government open. 

If you have questions about a potential government shutdown, you can view more FAQs on my website here. In the event of a shutdown, my offices will remain open and my team is here to assist in the meantime. You can send me an email through my website or call my Raleigh office at (919) 334-0840. For updates on my work on behalf of our community, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @RepDeborahRoss.