On October 1, the FTC announced it is closed as of midnight on Wednesday due to a lapse in government funding, which renders unavailable the National Do Not Call Registry for both consumers and telemarketers, and the FTC’s webpages for reporting fraud and reporting identity theft. Although public comments could still be submitted on pending actions, the FTC stated it would not act on comments until operations resume.
Similarly, on September 29, HUD released its contingency plan outlining agency operations in the event of a lapse in appropriations. The plan explained that most federal employees would be furloughed with only a limited number retained for activities deemed essential to protect human life or property or those funded by multi-year appropriations. Among other things, the plan highlighted that Ginnie Mae would continue to operate to ensure stability and liquidity in the national economy, while most fair housing enforcement and routine grant administration would halt.
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