Government Shutdown: Resources and What Credit Unions Need to Know

Posted by Ryan Fitzgerald on October 1, 2025

As of midnight Sept. 30, the federal government is in a partial shutdown. Last week, we shared the GoWest Government Shutdown Resource Center with the hope that Congress could finalize a deal by the funding deadline.

With the government entering shutdown for an undetermined amount of time, you’ll want to clearly and consistently communicate with your members who might be impacted by the partial or complete shutdown of government services. Our Resource Center contains talking points, FAQs, and compliance resources.

In addition to the Resource Center, here’s what credit unions need to know about the government shutdown:

The Outlook

Congressional leaders appear to remain far apart in outlining a solution to the government funding stalemate, and there is potential for the shutdown to be extended beyond just a few days.

The House of Representatives passed its version of a continuing resolution (CR) on September 19 that would extend current government funding levels through November 21 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 included policy provisions that would permanently extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. This version of the CR would also reverse Medicaid cuts enacted in the One Big, Beautiful Bill reconciliation package that was passed earlier in the year.

After Congressional leaders met with the President on Monday, there was no agreement and no clear pathway to an agreement to avert a government shutdown, but doors appeared to be opened to discuss and negotiate the subsidies around the Affordable Care Act, which is one of the main Democratic priorities in the shutdown debate. With the White House summit not resulting in a clear solution, it falls to the Congressional leadership to forge a pathway to reopen the government.

Current Status: Congressional leaders remain far apart in public negotiations, and House Republicans have not been instructed to be in DC for votes until October 7, believing they have already done their part to pass a funding bill. Expect the stalemate to continue for at least the short-term.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move.