Depending on the services you rely on, you could start seeing the impact of the federal government shutdown in the very near future. The federal government officially shut down at midnight on October 1st after Democrats and Republicans could not agree on a deal to fund the government through mid-November. Both sides blamed each other for the impasse. House Speaker Mike Johnson asked on social media, "How long will Chuck Schumer let this pain go on — for his own selfish reasons?” after listing off services like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutritional funding, veterans, health care, and suicide prevention that the federal shutdown would impact. Democratic leaders Senator Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries pointed the finger back at Republicans, saying that “after months of making life harder and more expensive, Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal government because they do not want to protect the healthcare of the American people.” While the Trump Administration and Congress sort out the details, there will be local impacts. Thousands of federal employees are furloughed until further notice, while immigration court proceedings, federal inspections, and some loans for small businesses and homebuyers will be delayed. If you need to acquire a passport, catch a flight, or receive a payment from Social Security or Medicare, you are unaffected for now. This is the 11th time the federal government has shut down, with some lasting just hours and others lasting a few days. Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have all presided over shutdowns that last two weeks or more.