Rep. LaMalfa's Washington and District Offices to Remain Open to Aid Constituents During Temporary Government Shutdown

Press Release

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) today announced that his Washington, D.C. and district offices will remain open to serve constituents during the federal government shutdown.

"As a result of the impasse between the Obama Administration and Congress, much of the federal government has temporarily been shut down. However, my offices in the Capital and the district will remain open while we work to resolve this problem as quickly as possible," said LaMalfa. "I'm committed to serving the people of the First District, and our availability to help solve constituent issues won't change."

While LaMalfa's offices will be open, many federal government agencies and functions will not be available during the shutdown. To help grasp what government activities are affected, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will my Social Security checks be issued?

* Social Security payments will continue to current beneficiaries. New applicants and those who have recently submitted a change of address/direct deposit slip, or other changes may be affected.

Will I still receive Medicare and Medicaid benefits?

* Funding for Medicare and Medicaid is mandatory, meaning it is not subject to annual appropriations that lapse during a shutdown. Although a government shutdown for any period of time could result in delays in claims processing, audits, and other administrative functions, most essential functions of Medicare will continue to operate under emergency and mandatory funding. Since Medicaid is a joint state and federal program, signing up for that is less likely to involve problems. Since Medicaid is a joint state and federal program, and the funds are paid in advance to the states, new enrollment would likely continue with no problems.

Will my medical services provided through the VA be affected?

* No. The VA's medical services, medical facilities, and medical support & compliance accounts will not have a disruption in their services. However, other services including VA call centers and hotlines, decisions on claims appeals or motions by the Board of Veterans Appeals, recruiting and hiring of veteran job applicants, VA Secretary correspondences with veterans and VSOs, and outreach and public awareness activities will be impacted.

Will the postal service still deliver mail?

* Mail services will still continue as normal.

Will military personnel be paid?

* Yes. Congress approved and President Obama signed into law an order that ensures active duty military and select "essential" civilian personnel are paid on-time despite the shutdown. The 1998 guidance on a shutdown directs that "All military personnel shall continue to report for duty." Not all units will continue to operate, however, and military personnel may be assigned to other than their regular duties.

Will security operations at airports, nuclear facilities, U.S. borders and military installations continue?

* Yes, essential security and monitoring personnel will continue to perform their duties, including law enforcement/security personnel, air traffic controllers etc. Additionally, personnel at the National Weather Service who perform essential services dealing with public safety such as warning forecasts for severe weather, fire weather services, ongoing flood monitoring etc., will be maintained.

Will the public have access to federal buildings/properties?

* Generally-speaking, all federal properties will be closed to the public and non-essential personal. Essential maintenance and security services will continue. This will mean closures of courthouses (yet courts and other essential offices will be open only for emergencies) and other government properties to the public.

Will National Parks be open?

* No. During a government shutdown parks will be closed. However, the House is acting this evening to pass a bill funding National Park operations.

Our family is planning on visiting Washington, D.C. next week. Will your office be able to help us with tours? Will Smithsonian museums be open?

* No. Unfortunately, the Capitol Visitor Center, all federal museums and federal buildings will be closed. Once the federal government shutdown ends, my office will again be able to assist with scheduling tours.

Will government websites have current information despite the federal shutdown?

* No. As federal departments and agencies will be shutdown, information available on their respective websites will not be the most current available. Individuals needing information are encouraged to call 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636) where information specialists are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST to answer questions. This call center will be open despite the shutdown.

How long will the government shutdown last?

* Until there is a budget solution passed by Congress and signed by the President. For perspective, the last federal government shutdowns were in 1995 & 1996 during the Clinton Administration. At that time, there were two separate shutdowns: 5 days (from November 14 through November 19, 1995) and 21 days (from December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996).

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