US Gov System Updates 1-2-26

US government system updates are an ongoing, multi-year process with no single completion date; different agencies have unique timelines, like the IRS aiming for full modernization by 2030 and the FAA targeting 2035 for air traffic control, while major overhauls for Veterans' health records remain stalled as of 2025, showing these efforts are complex, often delayed, and involve many critical, aging systems across various federal entities.  

Key Examples & Timelines

IRS: Still replacing its core taxpayer system (IMF), with a new system planned to run parallel and retire the old one by around fiscal year 2028, but full replacement is estimated to take until 2030.

FAA (Air Traffic Control): A new effort to replace aging voice communication systems is underway, expected to finish in 2035, after a previous attempt failed.

VA (Veterans' Health Records): Efforts to replace a 30-year-old system have faced significant setbacks, with a reset announced in 2023, and no new clear timeline yet established as of early 2025. 

Why Updates Take So Long

Complexity & Scale: Federal IT systems are massive, interconnected, and handle vast amounts of sensitive data.

Security Risks: Aging systems create vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and rely on unsupported hardware/software.

Cost & Failure: Modernization is expensive, and past efforts have failed, leading to resets and further delays. 

In Summary: Expect continuous updates and gradual improvements (like SAM.gov in 2025), but major overhauls for foundational systems (IRS, FAA, VA) are multi-decade projects, often facing significant delays, with no universal "completion" date. 

As of December 29, 2025, the U.S. federal government is fully open, though specific system updates and operational restorations from the record-breaking 2025 shutdown are ongoing. 

Current System Update Timelines

eSRS.gov Decommissioning: Originally planned for 2025, the decommissioning of the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS.gov) has been postponed to early 2026 to allow agencies to finish reporting tasks delayed by the shutdown.

SAM.gov Enhancements: Modernization updates to entity registration and legal proceedings pages were released in September 2025. Further updates to Federal Assistance IDs are being implemented through October 2025.

Student Aid Systems: The Department of Education updated systems like the Loan

Simulator on December 22, 2025, to allow for new Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan enrollments following the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act".

Service Contract Reporting (SCR): The reporting period for FY25 is currently active and is scheduled to close on January 31, 2026. 

Recovery from the 2025 Shutdown

The 43-day government shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—ended on November 12, 2025, when a continuing resolution was signed. 

Back Pay: The goal for completing backlogged payments to federal employees was November 19, 2025.

NSF Panels: National Science Foundation (NSF) review panels that were postponed began rescheduling for mid-December 2025 (typically 3–4 weeks after reopening).

IRS and Passport Backlogs: Delays in processing tax refunds and passport applications were expected to linger through late 2025 due to the high volume of accumulated work. 

Upcoming Deadlines

January 30, 2026: The current stopgap funding for most federal agencies expires. Unless a full-year budget or another extension is passed, a new shutdown could occur on this date. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=when+will+us+government+systems+updates+be+completed

Comments

These Government System Upgrades may be completed by 2035.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader