How A Federal Government Shutdown Would Affect VA Residents

VIRGINIA — Paycheck interruptions, food assistance shortfalls and delays at airports are among the ways Virginia residents could be affected if Congress doesn’t pass a short-term spending bill to keep the government open past midnight Saturday.

If the government does shut down at the beginning of a new fiscal year on Oct. 1, some agencies will be exempt. But at other agencies, non-essential action would cease and roughly 2 million military personnel and 2 million civilian workers wouldn’t get their paychecks on time. Some federal offices may have to close or operate on a part-time schedule if the government shuts down.

Virginia has about 140,397 civilian employees, the third most in the U.S. after the District of Columbia and California. The state has 129,400 active duty military personnel, the third most after those abroad and in California.

Rep. Don Beyer, whose 8th congressional district has one of the highest numbers of federal employees, shared letters from constituents who were impacted by the 2018-2019 government shutdown.

One constituent wrote that their family was relying on a husband's income and credit cards and was at risk of not paying rent or student loans. They were also expecting a second child while trying to keep their son's spot in daycare.

Another federal employee raised concerns about health insurance covering their family of three lapsing.

"I am even more concerned, however, for the many families facing difficulty paying their rent, mortgages, and other bills due to the lapse in appropriations," the constituent wrote. "It is completely unacceptable that federal employees are facing eviction, late fees, and adverse credit actions because our Congress cannot pass a budget."

Another constituent, an owner of a service disabled veteran contractor business for the federal government, said their contracts stopped during the 2018-2019 shutdown. The shutdown left the business owner with a difficult decision to keep taking loans out to pay employees or lay them off.

"Up to this point I have chosen to pay our employees that are not able to work," the business owner wrote. "I have expended our available cash and have taken loans against my home to keep paying our employees.

Beyer urged members of Congress to avoid a shutdown.

"Many are caught up in palace intrigue and legislative drama right now, but I urge my colleagues to remember that there are a lot of real people out there who will be hurt if there is a government shutdown," said Beyer in a statement. "These letters and emails show how shutdowns are a disaster for my constituents, our region, and millions of Americans across the country."

Here are five things to know about a potential government shutdown.

Food Insecurity Could Worsen

Nearly 7 million women and children, including 127,124 in Virginia, could see cuts in WIC, or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. The program serves about half of babies born in the nation, according to the White House.

The White House also said about 10,000 children would lose childcare starting in October as a result of disruptions to programs like Head Start.

People who receive food stamps under the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, or SNAP, would continue to receive benefits through October, CNN reported, but what happens after that is less clear, according to the Agriculture Department, which administers the program.

That could limit the ability of food banks to place new orders and fulfill existing delivery orders. Federal reimbursements to Meals on Wheels programs could also be delayed, and some community-based services could have to suspend meal services, reduce the number of meals they deliver, limit hours or shut down altogether, program officials told CNN.

Meals on Wheels delivers meals to more than 2.8 million older Americans.

Some Services Would Continue Uninterrupted

Social Security checks will still go out, Medicare services will continue uninterrupted, and Postal Service employees will continue to deliver the mail because those services are paid for with permanent appropriations that don’t have to be renewed every year.

The 83,000 Internal Revenue Service employees would not be furloughed because funding was approved last year by Congress.

Pensions, disability checks and other Veterans Affairs benefits also would continue as normal.

Some Services Could Be Delayed

A shutdown could mean longer waits for people who are applying for passports, firearms permits and clinical trials. Businesses that are closely connected to the federal government, including federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns.

That could mean people won’t be able to visit Smithsonian museums or national parks during the shutdown. The U.S. Travel Industry Association said a shutdown could cost the travel sector $140 million daily.

Air travel could be delayed because Transportation Security Administration employees and air traffic controllers would work without pay, the White House said in a memo.

“These consequences are real and avoidable — but only if House Republicans stop playing political games with peoples’ lives and catering to the ideological demands of their most extreme, far-right members,” the White House memo says. “It’s time for House Republicans to abide by the bipartisan budget agreement that a majority of them voted for, keep the government open, and address other urgent needs for the American people.”

Would Congress Shut Down?

President Joe Biden and members of Congress would continue to work and get paid, but some members of their staff who aren’t deemed as essential workers would be furloughed.

The Judiciary would continue to operate using funds from court filings and other fees, as well as approved funding. Funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected because they’re paid through a permanent, indefinite appropriation that has been exempted from previous shutdowns.

How Long Would It Last?

It’s impossible to predict how long a government shutdown would last. With Congress divided between a Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-led House, and Speaker Kevin McCarthy's hard-right conservatives looking to use the shutdown as leverage for spending cuts, many are bracing for a stoppage that could last weeks.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.