As of the current date, there is no information available on a government shutdown. However, it is important to understand what a government shutdown is and what happens during one. A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass or the president refuses to sign a spending bill to fund the federal government’s operations, resulting in a funding gap that can cause several government functions to be temporarily disrupted. During a government shutdown, all VA medical facilities and clinics will remain fully operational, but VA call centers and hotlines cease to function, and Veterans Benefits Administration public contact services are not available. A shutdown also halts federal loans to small businesses, stops approving applications for housing loans, and sharply delays the FDAs food safety activities. The impacts of government shutdowns include furloughed employees, reductions in services, closed parks and museums, and much more. On a national scale, government shutdowns can have far-reaching economic consequences, hampering growth and promoting uncertainty, especially if they drag on. The last government shutdown stretched from December 2018 until January 2019, when congressional funding for nine executive branch departments with roughly 800,000 employees lapsed.