FISHERS — The federal government has entered its first shutdown since 2019 as Democrats and Republicans trade blame over who is responsible for the lapse in funding.
“The simple truth is Democrats in Congress have dragged our country into another reckless shutdown,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed the blame back, saying, “Republicans thought that they could barrel us into a shutdown because they didn't want to protect the health care of the American people.”
The shutdown began after Congress disagreed on a funding package to keep agencies operating.
Unlike city and state governments, which continue to function as normal, a federal shutdown halts many services and places thousands of employees on furlough.
Laura Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis, said partisan differences are driving the stalemate.
“The new Trump administration has shown they're very interested in furloughing and potentially laying off federal employees," Wilson explained.
"The Democrats are very concerned about healthcare premiums — so right now you're truly at a partisan stalemate."
Indiana Governor Mike Braun, a former U.S. Senator, criticized Congress for failing to act.
“They need to get their act together and do budgets,” Braun said.
Not all government services are stopping. Social Security and Medicare checks will continue, and mail delivery will not be affected. But Wilson noted that some benefits could be delayed.
"In terms of Social Security, some of the healthcare benefits, people who are in the process of getting their application, that is going to be paused for the duration of a government shutdown,” she said.
How quickly Hoosiers feel the impact depends on how long the shutdown lasts, but Wilson said there is no timeline for when the standoff will end.
“There’s no certain finite period of time in which it will end,” she said.
Indiana Republican Senator Todd Young issued this statement on the shutdown:
"The overwhelming majority of Americans do not want a government shutdown. I have repeatedly voted for a clean funding bill that would keep the federal government open and allow the Senate to continue debating other issues. I urge Senate Democrats to abandon this manufactured crisis and vote to reopen the government.”
