FAS

Pentagon Operations During a Government Shutdown, and More from CRS

09.27.13 | 2 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

If Congress fails to appropriate funds for the new fiscal year beginning October 1, then most of the government will be obliged to shut down and cease operations.

However, based on past practice, some national security-related activities would be exempted from the shutdown. A newly updated report from the Congressional Research Service anticipates that “many Department of Defense activities would continue, though other activities would halt.” CRS sorts through many of the relevant issues in Government Shutdown: Operations of the Department of Defense During a Lapse in Appropriations, September 26, 2013.

Update: On September 27, the Department of Defense held a press briefing on DoD planning for a possible government shutdown.

Other new and newly updated CRS reports that Congress has sought to withhold from online public distribution include the following.

Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects, September 25, 2013

Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview, September 23, 2013

The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, September 25, 2013

Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables, September 24, 2013

Current Debates over Exchange Rates: Overview and Issues for Congress, September 26, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges: Health Insurance “Navigators” and In-Person Assistance, September 25, 2013

Monuments and Memorials in the District of Columbia: Analysis and Options for Proposed Exemptions to the Commemorative Works Act, September 24, 2013

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation: Background and Legislative Issues, September 25, 2013

Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests, September 25, 2013

Kenya: Current Issues and U.S. Policy, September 23, 2013

Issues in Homeland Security Policy for the 113th Congress, September 23, 2013

Funding and Financing Highways and Public Transportation, September 23, 2013

The Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV): Background and Issues for Congress, September 24, 2013

Federalism, State Sovereignty and the Constitution: Basis and Limits of Congressional Power, September 23, 2013

publications
See all publications
Global Risk
Blog
The Pentagon’s (Slimmed Down) 2025 China Military Power Report

On Tuesday, December 23rd, the Department of Defense released its annual congressionally-mandated report on China’s military developments, also known as the “China Military Power Report,” or “CMPR.” The report is typically a valuable injection of information into the open source landscape, and represents a useful barometer for how the Pentagon assesses both the intentions and […]

01.09.26 | 7 min read
read more
Global Risk
Report
On the Precipice: Artificial Intelligence and the Climb to Modernize Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications

Successful NC3 modernization must do more than update hardware and software: it must integrate emerging technologies in ways that enhance resilience, ensure meaningful human control, and preserve strategic stability.

01.08.26 | 2 min read
read more
Global Risk
Blog
What’s New for Nukes in the New NDAA?

The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) paints a picture of a Congress that is working to both protect and accelerate nuclear modernization programs while simultaneously lacking trust in the Pentagon and the Department of Energy to execute them.

12.18.25 | 5 min read
read more
FAS
Blog
“I’ve always been around people who make a living by caring”: an interview with Impact Fellow John Whitmer

For Impact Fellow John Whitmer, working in public service was natural. “I’ve always been around people who make a living by caring.”

12.18.25 | 3 min read
read more