Agency Lapse Plans Directory
Direct links to contingency plans showing what happens when appropriations lapse
During a government shutdown (lapse in appropriations), federal agencies operate under contingency plans that determine which functions continue and which employees report to work. These plans are public documents submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before each fiscal year.
In prior years, OMB maintained a central repository of contingency plans available on the OMB website. OMB updated Circular A-11 earlier this year, and the central respository requirement was removed - agency websites are the source for the plans.
This directory provides direct access to lapse plans for all CFO Act agencies—the major federal departments and agencies that make up the vast majority of federal operations.
Cabinet Departments
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Defense
- Department of Education
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of the Interior
- Department of Justice
- Department of Labor
- Department of State
- Department of Transportation
- Department of the Treasury
- Department of Veterans Affairs
Independent Agencies
- Environmental Protection Agency
- General Services Administration
- NASA
- National Science Foundation
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Office of Personnel Management
- Small Business Administration
- Social Security Administration
The US Agency for International Development is listed as an agency in the CFO Act statute, but did not formulate a lapse plan for FY 2026
What These Plans Reveal
Safety and security dominate excepted functions: Agencies with law enforcement, national security, public safety, and medical care missions have the highest percentage of excepted employees. The government continues protecting life and property even during shutdowns.
Grant-making agencies shut down almost entirely: Agencies that primarily distribute grants to states, localities, nonprofits, and researchers (Education, EPA, SBA, Labor, HUD) have very low percentages of excepted employees. Grant awards and payments stop during shutdowns.
Some agencies are fully funded by permanent appropriations: SSA and NRC are 100% excepted because their funding doesn't come from annual appropriations. Social Security benefits and nuclear reactor oversight continue uninterrupted.
Defense civilian workforce splits: DOD furloughs about 30% of its civilian workforce (231,000 employees), primarily administrative and support staff. Military personnel continue working and are paid under separate authorities.
Veterans Affairs is largely protected: VA operates on advance appropriations (funding provided one year ahead), which means most VA operations continue even during lapses affecting the current fiscal year.
About Lapse Plans
Legal requirement: The Antideficiency Act requires agencies to plan for shutdowns. OMB issues guidance requiring agencies to submit contingency plans before each fiscal year starts.
Public documents: All CFO Act agency lapse plans are publicly available, posted on agency websites.
Updated annually: Agencies revise plans regularly based on changing missions, workforce size, and legal interpretations of "excepted" activities.
Additional Resources
- OMB: Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations
- OMB: Circular A-11, Section 124
- OPM: Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs
- OPM: Special Instructions for Agencies Affected by a Possible Lapse in Appropriations Starting on October 1, 2025
- GAO: Shutdowns/Lapses in Appropriations
Last Updated: November 4, 2025
Data Source: FY2025 agency contingency plans submitted to OMB and published on agency websites.
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