Key questions about the shutdown and government services answered
Workers have been furloughed for weeks.
As the government shutdown continues with no end in sight, questions have arisen about the status of several key government services.
While some benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), have a finite amount of funding that is running out fast, there are other services that remain in place as the impasse between Republicans and Democrats continues.
Questions also remain for the start of a new House member who tips the power of Congress towards the Democrats.
VA benefits
Many major Veterans Affairs benefits will continue be processed and delivered throughout the shutdown.
Additionally, VA medical centers, suicide prevention services, homeless services and caregiver support will remain open for veterans.
Still 15,000 VA employees have been furloughed. The agency said that during a shutdown, the VA stops providing career counseling, closed down regional benefit offices and certain call centers.
Can furloughed employees file for unemployment?
Furloughed employees may be able to file for unemployment benefits during the shutdown.
The Office of Management and Budget says those benefit rules vary from state to state and they may require a waiting period.
Experts say eligible furloughed employees should file for unemployment as soon as possible because it may take some time for the application to be processed.
Furloughed workers who get unemployment benefits and then back pay after the shutdown ends may have to pay back those benefits, according to experts.
Passport applications
Americans looking to apply for a passport or get it renewed do not need to be concerned about their applications.
Passport processing is considered to be an essential service and has not been shut down.
Visa and passport operations are self-funded by fees.
Adelita Grijalva's swearing in
Last month, Democrat Adelita Grijalva was elected to fill Arizona’s 7th congressional district in a special election with over 70% of the vote.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson has not sworn Grijalva in, insisting that he would not complete the task while the House is not in session.
There is no rule that blocks an elected House member from being sworn in. The House can swear in lawmakers even when there is no legislative business and it can still convene even when the government is shut down.
Grijalva and Democrats have accused Johnson of delaying the swearing-in over a petition to discharge the Jeffrey Epstein files, as Grijalva would be the 218th signature and force a House vote on the situation.
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