What a government shutdown will mean for Californians, from Social Security to national parks

What a government shutdown will mean for Californians, from Social Security to national parks

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. John Lauretig remembers the filthy bathrooms, the overflowing trash cans and the community of people who rallied to clean up Joshua Tree National Park the last time the U.S. government shut down.  For more than a month, from December 2018 through January 2019, thousands of National Park Service employees were furloughed nationwide — but the Trump administration kep…

Government Shutdown 2025: What stays open, and closed and will Social Security payments stop?

With the October 1 deadline fast approaching, the United States faces the looming prospect of a federal government shutdown as U.S. President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats remain deadlocked over spending.

What a Government Shutdown Will Mean for Californians, from Social Security to National Parks

By Rachel Becker, Kristen Hwang, Alejandro Lazo, Cayla Mihalovich, and Jeanne Huang / CalMatters / September 29, 2025 John Lauretig remembers the filthy bathrooms, the overflowing trash cans and the community of people who rallied to clean up Joshua Tree National Park the last time the U.S. Government shut down. For more than a month from December 2018 through January 2019, thousands of National Park Service employees were furloughed nationwide…