For many people, the current federal government shutdown, resulting from a budget impasse between Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate, is a distant issue or a minor inconvenience. But for some University of Iowa students, the current shutdown has real-life implications. 

The shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass a federal budget for the new fiscal year. Lawmakers remain divided over government spending levels on certain programs, such as health care and foreign aid, leaving many agencies without approved funding.  

For individuals like Elsa Juarez, a third-year UI student, the shutdown is impacting her ability to cover basic living costs. 

As a single mother of two, Juarez relies on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SNAP services are expected to remain unaffected by the shutdown, as states are stepping in to sustain the program. 

Despite the state stepping in, Juarez said she has not heard back from HHS after reapplying for benefits three weeks ago. While the state notes processing applications can take up to 30 days, Juarez said it has usually taken only about a week in her experience. 

“I’ve called three times already, once every week, and I’ve either been given the runaround or left in a voicemail box,” she said. “That has never  happened before.” 

Due to the delay, Juarez said she is struggling to cover all her costs, even while working full-time. 

“It makes me very worried about being able to live independently and pay rent,” Juarez said. “It really makes me worried about my ability to continue  in school.”

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UI first-year student Evelyn said the government shutdown isn’t just playing out on the news; it is a daily worry for her family. With both of her parents employed by the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, the family is having to adjust to a lifestyle without income. 

Evelyn has experienced increased anxiety about her academic future and her ability to attend college. She also admitted to feeling guilty about the financial strain her education and upcoming family visits have placed on her parents. 

“I’m not there, and I feel really bad. I’m at school, and [attending college] costs a lot of money,” said Evelyn, who is originally from Maryland. “I texted my mom last night, ‘Should I be worried?’” 

Evelyn said she is not unfamiliar with government shutdowns. She understood they sometimes happen but thought they only last a few days. However, she said this one feels different for her family. 

“My mom said, ‘It’s not going to be done anytime soon,’” Evelyn said.

Following the shutdown, Evelyn said the family has taken measures to cut costs, pausing home renovations and delaying other household activities until consistent pay resumes.  

The NIH is among the many federal agencies affected by the government shutdown. Nationwide, the NIH has stopped nonessential operations, with about 75 percent of its staff furloughed, according to the U.S. HHS. Being furloughed means employees are placed on temporary unpaid leave until government funding is restored. Essential operations include those whose “activities are deemed necessary by implication or for the safety of human life or protection                        of property.”

Ronald McMullen, a political science professor at the UI and former U.S. diplomat, said being furloughed can cause economic and psychological trauma for both the employee and their family.

“Trump is talking about firing or riffing government employees, so you don’t know if you’re going to be able to go back to work,” McCullen said. “There’s also a concern on whether you’ll be paid for the time you’re laid off.  So for federal employees, it’s a time of angst, uncertainty, and hardship.” 

The term riffing, or RIF, refers to a “reduction in force”, meaning permanent job cuts rather than temporary furloughs. 

Students on campus have recognized the effects the shutdown has had on the country’s federal employees, and McMullen recognizes how discouraging this can be for those pursuing careers in public service. 

“Many of my students who aspire to become diplomats, or other public services, it’s frustrating for their career objectives to see people treated so badly,” McMullen said.