Shutdown Update: Services, Resources, and Support from Team Owens

As you may know, the federal government is currently shut down because a small group of members on the other side of the aisle refuse to support a clean, nonpartisan CR to keep the government open.

This shutdown means our servicemembers won’t get paid, veterans’ programs will be delayed, food assistance for women and children will lapse, small business loans will stall, and the stability of more than 40,000 federal workers in Utah, along with thousands of military personnel and contractors, are at risk.

I voted to keep the government open, and my team will continue working to support Utahns during this unnecessary and harmful shutdown.

My Offices

While some agencies are operating with limited staff, my offices are open and our caseworkers are standing by to assist with you with Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, passports, and other federal issues.

Flag requests and Capitol tours are temporarily suspended. The Smithsonian Institution has announced that its museums will remain open through Saturday, October 11, using prior-year funding. If your travel plans to Washington are affected, please contact our office and we will help you reschedule.

If you need help navigating a federal agency, call 801-999-9801 or submit a casework request here. 

What That Means for Utah

• Social Security: Payments will continue without interruption. Field offices remain open and most applications will still be processed, though some requests may take longer than usual.
• IRS & Federal Employees: Roughly 40,000 federal employees in Utah may be furloughed or required to work without pay during the shutdown, but will receive backpay once the government reopens.
• Medicare and Medicaid: Both programs are funded through mandatory spending and will continue uninterrupted. Our office can help connect you with the appropriate agency staff if you run into difficulty.
• Veterans: VA Medical Centers, outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers will remain open. Benefits such as compensation, pensions, and burials will continue. Some programs, including the GI Bill Hotline, career counseling, and certain regional offices , will pause operations until funding resumes.
• National Parks: Utah’s National Parks and federal lands will remain open with limited services. Utah State Parks are unaffected and remain open.
• Women, Infants & Children (WIC) and SNAP Benefits: Funding will continue temporarily for WIC and SNAP. If the shutdown continues beyond several weeks, additional federal guidance will be needed.
• Small Business Administration loans, USDA services and certain federal grants: Processing may pause or slow down. Our office can provide updates and help you explore temporary state or local resources.
• Mail & Air Travel: Postal Service operations are unaffected. TSA officers and air traffic controllers continue working, but travelers should expect longer wait times at airports.
• Consular Services & Passports: Passport and visa services continue as normal, but delays are possible. U.S. consular services abroad remain open.
• Unemployment Benefits: Unemployment insurance will continue because it is administered through state programs.

We’re Here to Help

Even during a shutdown, Team Owens is still working for you. If you have specific questions about how the shutdown affects your family, business, or community, please don’t hesitate to contact us. If you’d like to attend one of my team’s upcoming Mobile Offices, the full schedule is available here. 

We invite you to visit owens.house.gov/shutdown for daily updates and agency-specific resources, which we will update daily as more information becomes available.