10 things affected by the US government shutdown The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would have substantially reduced capacity to investigate the outbreak of diseases. The CDC's tracking of instances of the flu and other contagious diseases may be interrupted. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would be significantly cut back, and would not perform any audits during a shutdown. The IRS will also not have staff on hand to assist those with questions about their taxes. Federal loans for homebuyers and small businesses would be suspended during a shutdown. This could have an economic ripple effect should the shutdown be of significant duration. Benefits for pensioners and military veterans, while scheduled to be delivered as normal, could be subject to delays. There will likely be cutbacks in staffing at the offices which process such payments, and some predict that benefit cheques will not make it into the post on time. National museums and zoos would be closed during a shutdown. This would be a significant blow to tourism in Washington, where the Smithsonian museums and zoo, typically packed with tourists and school groups, would remain empty. The Statue of Liberty in New York and Independence Hall in Philadelphia would also be closed. Rubbish collection in the nation's capital will cease. Unlike in the fifty US states, Washington DC's budget is subject to Congressional approval. Although schools and public transportation will remain open, services such as rubbish collection and parking enforcement will not resume until Congress passes a budget. Buying and selling guns would be made significantly more difficult, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, which processes permit requests, would face significant cutbacks.