Potential Government Shutdown Looming: Helping You Prepare

Posted by Ryan Fitzgerald on September 23, 2025

Without a funding bill passed by midnight on Sep. 30, the federal government is headed for at least a partial shutdown beginning Oct. 1. for Congress to reach an agreement that will keep the government funded, we have prepared a Government Shutdown Resource Center to help you support your members through a potential government shutdown if Congress is unable to finalize a funding deal or continuing resolution (CR).

The Situation

Before leaving for this week’s Congressional district work period, the House of Representatives passed its version of a CR that would have extended funding through November 21, and provided $88 million of funding for additional security for Members of Congress, the Administration, and the judiciary, due to recent actions and threats to political leaders. The House passed this limited CR on a vote of 217-212, with both parties having leaders crossing the aisle to vote against their party’s position.

On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate could not gain agreement on the House-passed version of a CR or a Democratically led CR, which would fund the government through the end of October, but also included policy provision that would permanently extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as reverse Medicaid cuts enacted in the One Big, Beautiful Bill reconciliation package that was passed earlier in the year.

The GoWest Advocacy Team is closely monitoring the negotiations and discussion, but leaders on both sides of the aisle, and the White House have made statements that point to a shutdown of some kind.

In preparing for this possibility, our advocacy team is working with state and federal regulators regarding operational and regulatory flexibility, if a shutdown does occur, as they understand that you will be working diligently to help your members through a difficult time. Together, as a community of credit unions, we can prepare for the unexpected and continue to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to serving our members.

Helping You Support Your Members

Credit unions are financial first responders and helping members facing financial difficulty during a shutdown is just one example of putting them first. We encourage you to remain proactive, not only in supporting your members but also in sharing the unique programs and services you offer with community and media partners.

To help you take action, we’ve prepared resources to help you support your members in the event of a shutdown.

Government Shutdown Resource Center

In our Government Shutdown Resource Center, you’ll find compliance resources, a helpful FAQ document, and messaging for your members.

You will also find:

• How to create flexible policies that respond to members’ financial needs.
• Tips to prepare for potential service interruptions, especially those affecting credit union offices located in federal buildings.
• Examples of how GoWest credit unions support their members affected by the shutdown, including those receiving direct deposits from the federal government.
• Guidance on developing contingency plans for government program participation.
• Approaches to effectively communicate your credit union’s response plans to keep members, volunteers, and employees informed.

If you need further assistance on specific regulatory issues with extending skip-a-pays, credit flexibility options for members, or liquidity challenges, please reach out to John Trull, VP of Regulatory Advocacy.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move.