The United States government entered a partial shutdown for the second time in less than three months, raising concerns over disruptions to critical services even as lawmakers move to quickly restore funding.

While the current funding lapse is less severe than last fall’s prolonged shutdown, its effects are already being felt across several federal agencies. The Small Business Administration has halted loan processing, the Bureau of Labor Statistics delayed the release of the January jobs report, and the Department of Transportation has drawn up plans to furlough more than 10,000 workers from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Thousands of federal employees are technically working without pay, although officials said delays in paychecks are unlikely if Congress acts swiftly.

Despite the shutdown, authorities have so far sought to minimize disruption. Key services such as Internal Revenue Service customer support, air traffic control, veterans’ services, national parks, and memorials have remained operational.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also continuing operations, with an estimated $7 billion to $8 billion available for disaster response, including the ongoing cold weather affecting parts of the country.

However, officials warned that the situation could worsen if the shutdown persists. Additional furloughs may follow, and more government services could be scaled back in the coming days. Prolonged delays could also impact air travel, raising the risk of flight cancellations or disruptions.

Unlike the record-breaking 43-day shutdown last year, the current stoppage is partial. Congress has already passed six of the 12 appropriations bills needed to fully fund the government for the fiscal year. The remaining bills cover homeland security, defense, transportation, financial services, national security, labor, healthcare, and education.

Programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the US Postal Service, veterans’ benefits, and Social Security check disbursements are not affected by the shutdown.

House lawmakers have rushed back to Washington, DC to vote on a compromise deal aimed at ending the impasse. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached soon.

“I’m confident that we’ll do it at least by Tuesday,” Johnson said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“No one wanted to put that pain on the American people again. The Democrats forced it. We were insistent that we would not allow that to happen.”

The shutdown follows a failed attempt to pass the remaining funding bills after Senate Democrats rejected a House-approved package and demanded changes to the Department of Homeland Security funding. A temporary compromise was later passed, putting DHS funding on hold for two weeks while negotiations continue.

Johnson has said he prefers to fast-track the compromise under suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority. Failing that, a traditional roll-call vote may be needed, a process that could delay passage amid travel disruptions caused by winter weather.