Open or closed? How a federal government shutdown will affect Kentucky

The federal government shut down at midnight Friday after Congress and the White House were unable to reach an agreement to resolve a budget standoff.

Nine federal departments and several other smaller agencies have been required to close, putting more than 380,000 federal workers on furlough and forcing 420,000 other employees to work without pay, according to USA TODAY.

With the holidays right around the corner, what does a government shutdown mean for Kentuckians? We answer some questions about what services and locations will and won't be closed, as well as the effects on government workers.

Background:Trump rejects Senate bill to avert shutdown, awaits House bill  

What services will be interrupted?

National parks. Mammoth Cave National Park in Edmonson County will remain open to the public, but tours and other services will be halted and you cannot enter the cave without a guided tour.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Park in Hodgenville also will close, an official said on Thursday. Services at Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will close as well, though visitors could most likely still enter the grounds.

Farm service centers. The state farm center in Lexington, as well as 64 local centers, will close. This leaves farmers unable to receive assistance in signing up for new programs under the recently passed Farm Bill, according to the Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Federal small business loans. Small businesses will not have access to federally assisted loans and technical assistance.

Federal Housing Administration. Kentuckians looking to buy a new home or refinance a mortgage insured by the FHA will be put on standby.

See also:Is there light at the end of the cable for KentuckyWired?

What services will remain open?

Postal Service. Luckily for online shoppers and gift-senders, the Postal Service will continue operating. 

Travel. Holiday travelers using Louisville International Airport can also breathe a sigh of relief. Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration workers and Customs and Border Protection agents will remain on the job. Amtrak also will continue operating, if you find yourself in an area with the train system.

Benefits. Social Security benefits will still go out, as well as Medicare services and benefits from programs such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. 

Read this:Americans' message to Washington on the looming shutdown: Don't

Michael Collins of USA TODAY and Todd Spangler of the Detroit Free Press contributed to this report.