How partial government shutdown affects Nevada

A partial government shutdown affects roughly a quarter of the federal employees, as the rest have funding through September.

Some functions will continue. Security and safety will largely be unaffected, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Air traffic controllers and airline safety inspectors will not be affected for holiday travel.

Transportation Safety Administration inspectors will still screen passengers at airports. They will not be paid but there’s an expectation they will be paid retroactively.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees several agencies that have an impact in Nevada, including the Forest Service, which will still have law enforcement, emergency and natural disaster response. But the Forest Service will not offer recreational use of its land. Also after the first week, farm loans and other payments would stop.

The USDA’s food stamps and school lunches will continue to be offered.

Both the Bureau of Land Management and National Parks Services report they will close visitor centers. Here is what the BLM said the last time it faced a shutdown:

“Campgrounds, boat ramps, and other recreation sites will be open. However, many facilities will be operationally shut down and posted accordingly, restrooms locked, and water systems shut down. consistent with other Federal recreation providers, occupied sites would be given 48 hours’ notice that services including water, electricity, and restrooms will be turned off and closed. Operational shutdown activities for the sites would be completed within the 48-hour period. Visitors may remain at these sites at their sole risk.”

Last time, the BLM said the wild horse and burro holding facilities would continue to be funded.

Social Security checks will continue to go out, but the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget noted in the 2013 shutdown that verifying benefits and providing new and replacement cards were discontinued.

The Internal Revenue Service in the 2013 shutdown was unable to verify income and Social Security numbers, the committee said. “In 2013, a backlog of 1.2 million such requests potentially delayed mortgage and other loan approvals,” the committee said. “Billions of dollars of tax refunds were also delayed.”

The U.S. Postal Service will continue to operate.

In 2013 the Environmental Protection Agency halted inspections during the shutdown, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs reports 2,295 of its 4,057 employees could be furloughed.