What a shutdown means to you

If the federal government shuts down, will you still be able to catch a plane? Mail a letter? Get your tax refund or receive your social security check?

With negotiations still in progress and political barbs flying in Washington, federal offices in Atlanta and throughout Georgia were scrambling to figure out just what a shutdown would look like. In some instances, the answers were sketchy or still evolving.

Many services paid for with federal money are delivered by state workers. Gov. Nathan Deal’s office has taken such steps as drawing some federal grant money in advance to prepare for a possible shutdown, spokesman Brian Robinson said. The Governor’s Office believes that Georgia is prepared for a shutdown that lasts as long as four weeks, even if the state has to provide stop-gap funding in the interim, he said.

“We could survive that window with no disruption of services,” Robinson said.

Here's where things stand now and what you need to know:

Parks and historic sites: National parks, including the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area will be closed, as will the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.

Airport operations: TSA screeners, customs agents and air traffic controllers are expected to continue to work, so Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport should not experience significant disruptions.

Social Security and Medicare: Officials promise that Social Security checks will go out as usual. However, new applications may take longer to process. Medicare will continue to make payments to doctors and hospitals.

Unemployment: The state administers the benefits; normal processing will continue. As for funding, state officials said they would tap the federal unemployment fund for enough to issue checks for a month without interruption.

IRS: The Internal Revenue Service will largely grind to a halt, but you still have to file your taxes by April 18. E-filers will get their refunds on time; others will see a delay. Silver lining? IRS audits will cease.

Postal Service: The United States Postal Service is no longer a government agency. It operates independently and receives no federal subsidies. Post offices will be open and mail will be processed and delivered as usual.

Passport offices: The State Department says applicants for new or renewed passports could face significant delays, as could foreign visitors seeking visas to travel in the United States. Consulates would still offer emergency services.

The military: Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem are home to units involved in planning and managing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus humanitarian-assistance in Japan. All military personnel will remain on duty, although their pay may be delayed. Civilian workers necessary to support ongoing military operations will keep working; others will be furloughed.

Veterans services: The VA is funded on a two-year cycle and will continue to provide all health care services as usual at its medical facilities. Veterans currently receiving benefits should receive those payments without interruption.

Federally backed mortgages: The Federal Housing Administration, which guarantees millions of Americans' mortgages, would stop issuing new loan guarantees, probably causing delays for many would-be home buyers.

Federal Reserve Bank: The Fed, which controls the nation's money supply and is integral to moving money through the nation's banking system, is not funding through congressional appropriations and would continue to operate normally.

Immigration services: Immigration and Customs Enforcement would suspend its E-Verify service, through which employers can check whether job applicants are eligible to work in the United States.

Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids: These programs are "excepted" from any shutdown, so medical care for low-income Georgians will not be interrupted. In addition, Georgia received three months worth of funding on April 1.

Food stamps and WIC: Food stamp payments should continue as usual, at least for the rest of the month. WIC has enough federal dollars in the pipeline to provide nutrition for low-income women, infants and children for 30 days.

FBI, DEA, Federal Marshals, federal prisons: The Department of Justice pledged that it "will continue to carry out its traditional law enforcement functions," including running the federal prisons. However, most civil litigation and the processing of grants would cease.

Federal courts: The courts will continue to operate. Judges and court personnel will still process cases and conduct hearings and other proceedings, to docket cases and collect fines.

Food inspections: The Agriculture Department would continue inspecting meat, poultry, grains and other commodities, as well as checking agricultural goods imported and exported to see that no pests enter or leave the country.