Not all services would cease in shutdown

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McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON

Social Security checks would still go out. So would tax payments and refunds for e-filed returns. Soldiers would remain on duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, and sailors off the coast of Libya. FBI agents would still work. Mail would be delivered.

Those are some of the services that would continue even if the federal government runs out of money at 12:01 a.m. Saturday with no agreement between Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the White House to extend the budget.

But much of the government would shut down.

Roughly 800,000 federal employees would be furloughed, including many civilian workers in the Defense Department, much of the White House staff, and at least some staff in Congress. National parks would close. Hand-mailed tax returns would go unopened.

With no agreement to finance the government past Friday night, government agencies prepared contingency plans Wednesday for what would stay open and what would close.

The key criteria for keeping government employees working is whether their office is critical to protecting life or property, or has another source of money, such as user fees.

Whether they work or not, all federal employees would go unpaid during the shutdown.

Here’s a list of how a shutdown would impact some parts of the federal government:

Internal Revenue Service: Income tax returns filed electronically would be processed. Payments would be collected. “We need to be able to collect the money that is owed to the U.S. government,” the senior administration official said. Refunds for e-filed returns also would be sent automatically. But paper-filed returns would not be processed. Audits would be postponed.

Mail: The U.S. Postal Service would still deliver the mail, thanks to income from stamps. “We’re self-funded,” said Postal Service spokesman Gerry McKiernan. “It’s a normal day for us.”

Social Security: Checks would still be sent out to current beneficiaries, either through the mail or electronically.

Medicare: Would still make payments to beneficiaries “at least for a short period of time,” according to the senior administration official.

White House: The president and vice president would keep working. The Secret Service would remain on guard. But many aides would be sent home.

Congress: Each member of the House of Representatives and Senate would decide which members of their staffs needs to keep working and which could be furloughed.