What’s open — and closed — during a partial government shutdown... How about the IRS?
What could be affected by a partial shutdown
Every agency has its own contingency plan set up in case of a shutdown, and there are a couple bodies including the IRS and National Parks that could see some pauses or breaks in service. Additionally, as MarketWatch points out, the president has the ability to determine whether any service is “essential” or not — so it’s possible he could try to shut down a key government function like air traffic control if he really wanted to make a point.
National parks
National parks — which are funded as part of the Interior Department — have long been one of the most visible government entities affected by a shutdown and they will remain open. Much like last January’s shutdown, many national parks are still accessible to visitors, but they will have limited staffing and closed access to various park facilities, including restrooms.
The IRS
A key body under the Treasury Department, the IRS has indicated that it plans to furlough a significant fraction of its workers under a contingency plan, since tax season has yet to get underway.
State Department services
People will still be able to obtain passports and visas, although the State Department could curtail issuing them if those services are offered in buildings run by another agency that is shut down, Bloomberg reports.
Environmental and food inspections
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration could both reduce the number of inspections they are conducting on hazardous sites and various food products, respectively.
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