On Wednesday, October 1, the U.S. government officially shut down, causing non-essential government agencies to close their doors due to lack of funding. However, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) across the country continues to operate unaffected by the government shutdown.
The shutdown, which began on Wednesday, is impacting numerous federal agencies, from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to the National Park Service, with some agencies immediately ceasing all operations based on their funding status, while others are partially shutting down, awaiting Congress to pass a new temporary or formal funding bill.
Until Congress passes a funding bill, federally supported programs and services will remain largely suspended. Many federal employees whose work does not involve protecting life and property have been required to halt their work.
Despite the partial closure of the federal government, the operations of DMVs across the country remain unaffected. This is because in the United States, DMVs are primarily owned and operated at the state level, with their operations primarily funded through state budgets and supplemented by various service fees.
However, the federal government does have some influence over DMVs through national standards and guidelines. Federal agencies such as the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may establish rules requiring state DMVs to comply.
Certain public services, such as Social Security Benefits (SSB), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments, will also continue unaffected by the government shutdown. Over 74 million Social Security beneficiaries will still receive their payments during the shutdown.
A spokesperson for the Social Security Administration mentioned in a statement that the agency plans to maintain the distribution of Social Security payments according to an emergency plan.
(Adapted from the report by USA Today)