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The partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government hit the one-week mark as the clock struck midnight in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 7.The shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is on track to become the fourth-longest in U.S. history, eclipsing the six-day shutdown in 1995. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days during Trump’s first term, from 2018 to 2019.Pressure to end the standoff could mount next week, when 1.3 million active-duty troops, hundreds of thousands of active members of the National Guard and civilians who work for the Defense Department will not be paid on Oct. 15 as scheduled.Here’s what to know as the federal government shutdown enters day seven. How to follow updates on the government shutdownUSA TODAY is following the shutdown via daily live blogs. Find stories about the shutdown’s impact, as well as more information, below.Is the federal government still shut down?Yes, the federal government remains largely shut down.Pay has been suspended for roughly 2 million federal workers, with nearly 750,000 ordered not to report to work. Other employees, including those in the military and air traffic control workers, must work without compensation until a budget deal is reached.What happens to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.Payments will likewise continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.Will food aid continue under SNAP and WIC?The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food aid program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, will continue operations during a shutdown as funds allow, according to a shutdown planning document published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Does the U.S. mail get delivered?The U.S. Postal Service will be unaffected because it does not depend on Congress for funding, USPS said in a statement. Post offices will be open.What about the airports?More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are still required to show up for work during the shutdown. They are not being paid, and controllers are set to miss their first paycheck on Oct. 14.What does a shutdown mean for the military?The nearly 2 million U.S. military personnel will remain at their posts without pay until the shutdown ends, according to a statement by the newly named Department of War, formally the Department of Defense, based on an executive order from Trump, unless Congress officially changes the name.National Guard forces that Trump has deployed to U.S. cities must also continue to work.What about law enforcement, borders and Homeland Security?Agents at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coast Guard and other federal law enforcement agencies will remain on the job.Justice Department staff who administer the immigration court system will largely stay on the job because Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency, according to a department statement.Contributing: Joey Garrison, Zachary Schermele, Terry Moseley – USA TODAY; and ReutersThis story has been updated with new information.Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.












