TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 1, 2025

Dueling proposals to end the federal government shutdown failed in the U.S. Senate today. While critical services such as mail delivery and Social Security and Medicare benefits continue, other federal operations have ground to a halt, sending the government into its 22nd shutdown since 1976. Starting today, federal workers nationwide are affected, including more than 32,000 Tennesseans, the Tennessean reports. The state is expected to see closures at national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Manhattan Project sites, as well as local U.S. Department of Agriculture farm service centers. According to The Hill, federal courts may be forced to limit operations as soon as next week after funding lapses, potentially delaying trials and hearings across the country. Unlike past shutdowns, when courts were able to rely on fees and other resources to maintain functionality, ABC News reports that years of tighter budgets and rising costs make sustaining full operations much more difficult today.