The following is a list of government agencies and operations affected by the 2013 United States federal government shutdown.
American Battle Monuments Commission The American Battle Monuments Commission operates 24 cemeteries on foreign soil for American servicemen killed overseas. These cemeteries, as well as 26 monuments to American servicemen, were closed through the shutdown.
Congress Although members of Congress were guaranteed to get paid during the shutdown, they have wide latitude in deciding which employees to keep on the job and which, if any, to furlough. Many members elected to keep their entire staff on payroll "in order to continue serving...constituents". Other members furloughed half or most of their staffs, possibly on a rotating basis, or closed their local office while keeping their Washington office open and at least partially staffed.
The House members' gym was directed to remain operational while the gym for Congressional staff closed as planned. Dozens of House members live in their government offices to save personal expenses and use the House gym to shower.
Consumer Product Safety Commission The Consumer Product Safety Commission did not investigate or recall products that might cause injuries but do not pose an imminent danger to safety. CPSC furloughed port inspectors who test to make sure that imported products meet safety standards, for instance verifying that children's toys do not contain excessive amounts of lead or that sleepwear meets flammability standards. The Commission furloughed all but 23 of its 540 employees.
Department of Agriculture
Meat, poultry, and grain inspectors continued working. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not issue any statistical or economic reports, including those on the prices and supply levels of agricultural goods. These reports are especially important to commodities markets. U.S. National Forests remain open, and responsible dispersed camping was allowed; campgrounds and other recreational sites, however, were closed. The Agricultural Research Service and the Foreign Agricultural Service will shut down.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, were greatly curtailed. The government didn't contribute any new money into the program, which gives food for low-income pregnant women, mothers, and young children. Some states were able to keep running the program with current money for about a week. The larger Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called food stamps or EBT cards, is funded by the Recovery Act and lasts through 2014.
The Forest Service closed its offices and furloughed the vast majority of its staff, with only some law enforcement and firefighting staff staying on duty. As a result of the furloughs, timber companies were ordered to stop logging operations in the 155 National Forests within seven days. Initially, the agency was able to keep a number of campgrounds and recreation areas open, but as the shutdown extended into its second week, many of those sites were closed as well. Forest Service spokesman Leo Kay said the closures of concession-operated campgrounds were necessary because the staff who manage and oversee concession contracts have been furloughed.Peak-time shutdown: NH campgrounds forced to close, Rik Stevens, Associated Press, October 4, 2013 Regarding the closure of the Maroon Bells Recreation Area, Scott Fitzwilliams, forest supervisor of the White River National Forest in Colorado, said “We have no funding to pay rangers to manage the site or collect fees, no funding to pump toilets, test water supplies and extremely limited law enforcement capabilities. If we allowed vehicles to access the area, where would the people go to the bathroom? Where would they put their garbage?”Public will be able to park closer to Maroon Bells area , Chad Abraham, Aspen Daily News, October 9, 2013
The National Organic Program, which confirms that food labeled as organic actually meets organic standards, was suspended as was a program that confirms that imported foods are correctly labeled with their country of origin.
The USDA stopped issuing mortgages to families in rural areas, causing delays for some people who were in the process of purchasing a new home. USDA's Rural Housing Service handles about 132,000 mortgages a year, or about 1.4% of all mortgages in the United States. Families can qualify for a USDA mortgage if they make up to 115% of the median income in their area.
Department of Commerce The Commerce Department furloughed 40,234 of its 46,420 employees. The United States Patent and Trademark Office planned to stay open for three to four weeks using funds from the fees it collects. The National Weather Service provided weather forecasts, watches, and warnings normally, as critical to protecting lives and property. Some activities related to weather research and developing improvements to the Global Forecast System ceased. The Commerce Department did not release data on the state of the economy.
Department of Defense Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter issued a memo detailing which employees would be furloughed.
On September 28, 2013, Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado introduced the Pay Our Military Act. The bill would "appropriate funds to pay the military at any time in FY 2014 when appropriations are not in effect", a situation which would include any potential shutdown. It passed both the House and Senate, and the President signed it into law, recording a video message for members of the military.
Food prices for many military personnel, their families, and retirees were expected to rise due to the closure of the Defense Commissary Agency. This agency runs 178 commissaries, or grocery stores, in the US which offer food at about a 30% discount for military families. The 68 commissaries overseas stayed open.
Furloughs of Defense Department civilian employees grounded Air Force fighter squadrons. Air Combat Command grounded squadrons based in the US that aren't set to deploy abroad until after January. This includes the 366th Fighter Wing based out of Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The Pentagon has also furloughed civilian specialists who help craft military policy towards the Middle East.
As of October 6, the Pay Our Military Act was interpreted by lawyers from the Defense and Justice Departments to allow nearly all civilian Defense personnel to return to work, on the basis that they "contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members." Death benefits for the families of soldiers killed in action during the shutdown were provided by funds from a private foundation, which would then be repaid by the Defense Department after appropriations are enacted.Private foundation to pay death benefits for troops , Steve Vogel, Ed O’Keefe & Aaron Blake, The Washington Post, October 9, 2013
Military Academies The United States service academies were affected by the shutdown in various ways. Civilian faculty members were furloughed, and many classes were canceled. The library at the United States Air Force Academy was closed. The libraries at the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy remained open, but students could not check out books. The library at the United States Military Academy was staffed by the musicians of the West Point Band. Intercollegiate athletics were suspended.
Department of Education The U.S. Department of Education furloughed 3,983 of its 4,225 employees. The government continued to disburse Pell Grants and other student loans, but the furloughs may have caused delays and limit the department's ability to respond to questions. In its contingency plan for a shutdown, the Department of Education warned that a "protracted delay in Department obligations and payments beyond one week would severely curtail the cash flow to school districts, colleges and universities, and vocational rehabilitation agencies that depend on the Department's funds to support their services".
The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights suspended investigations into whether certain colleges and universities mishandled their response to sexual assault on campus as well as investigations into whether colleges failed to report crimes as required by the Clery Act.
Department of Energy The U.S. Department of Energy furloughed 9,584 of its 13,814 employees. Those working continued to work and were intended to be paid until reserve funds exhausted.
Department of Health and Human Services A reported 52% of Health and Human Services employees were furloughed.
The Head Start Program, which provides preschool and other services to young children nationwide, did not provide grant money to 23 programs in 11 states. These programs were scheduled to receive funding on October 1. Among the Head Start programs that temporarily closed was one serving 900 children in Prentiss, Mississippi.
Sub-agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services were also affected:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was not able to conduct "in-depth investigations to identify and link outbreaks that may be occurring simultaneously in multiple states" or provide flu surveillance due to the furloughing of 68% of its employees.
Food and Drug Administration Approximately 45% of the Food and Drug Administration's 14,779 employees were furloughed. The FDA stopped routine food safety inspections as well as most of its laboratory research. Employees still handled emergencies, high-risk product recalls and product review activities funded by user fees paid before the shutdown began. The FDA posted on its website a detailed list of "Medical Product Activities During the Federal Government Shutdown". The agency retained approximately 587 employees to inspect products and review imports, and additional staff of 120 to handle emergencies and high-risk recalls. These programs were to continue in some capacity because they are deemed “related to the safety of human life.”
National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health ceased research conducted at its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland and did not enroll new patients in medical trials. NIH recently completed one round of grantmaking to outside researchers and applications for the next round were due on October 5. If the shutdown was not prolonged, approval of new grants were not to be disrupted. In rare cases, medical researchers who received grants from NIH may have difficulty accessing funds. The related National Institute of Environmental Health Science ceased research conducted at its headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. On the NIH official website, a warning was posted as a banner headline on all of its pages that read, "Due to the lapse in government funding, the information on this web site may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the web site may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted."
Department of Homeland Security About 86% of the Department of Homeland Security's 231,000 employees continued to work during the shutdown. As a fee-based agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services continued to process applications and petitions for immigration during time of the shutdown, including petitions for immigrant and nonimmigrant workers as well as applications for adjustment of status. Some processing delays may have occurred because certain staff were furloughed.
Airport screeners at the (Transportation Security Administration) will also be affected. 92% of the United States Secret Service, 88% of the United States Coast Guard, 88% of Customs and Border Protection and 78% of the Federal Emergency Management Agency continued working. 97% of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services stayed on the job.