DELMARVA - A last-ditch funding effort by House Republicans failed Friday afternoon in Washington DC, further increasing the chances of a federal government shutdown as tomorrow’s midnight deadline to pass a spending bill (or at least a temporary extension) rapidly approaches.
With national implications, Delmarva isn’t immune to the effects of a shutdown. Here’s what we can expect to see and who will be affected starting October 1st if a shutdown isn’t averted.
Federal workers in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia could see heavily-delayed paychecks, while others could even be furloughed until the shutdown ends. Those applying for federal services such as firearm permits, clinical trials, and passports can also expect delays.
Low-income neighbors who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing that assistance quickly, according to the Biden Administration, as funds used to support the program are limited.
If the shutdown lasts a significant period of time, Delmarva residents who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could also see that assistance disappear eventually. The Agriculture Department says SNAP benefits will continue as usual through October.
Those on Delmarva who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income can expect those payments to continue, but employee furloughs could mean increased delays for those seeking responses for issues. Those with Medicare and Medicaid benefits will similarly continue to receive them, but may also face issues with customer service response times.
Delmarva residents with student debt will still be expected to resume their payments, long delayed by the pandemic pause, on October 1st. Again, federal furloughs could cause disruptions for those seeking to contact the Education Department. FAFSA applications, Pell Grant disbursement, and public loan forgiveness applications may also be delayed.
During the government shutdown in 2018 that lasted into 2019, only essential employees were reporting to work at NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, impacting local businesses who rely on those employees’ patronage. The facility did not immediately respond to a call from WBOC on Friday, but similar effects could be seen again.
National Parks on the Peninsula may be among the first institutions to be impacted by the federal shutdown.
The Berlin office of Assateague Island National Seashore tells WBOC they can’t yet comment on what those specific impacts will look like, nor could officials at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
The 2018 shutdown saw Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge keeping its wildlife drive and trails open to the public while the Visitor Center was closed. An employee at Blackwater tells WBOC that specific instructions for employees will be given over the weekend.
A contingency plan for the National Park Service, released by the Department of the Interior, designates specific activities as essential that will continue during a shutdown, including law enforcement and emergency response.
Other duties, such as restroom maintenance, sanitation, and road maintenance may be temporarily exempt from furlough depending on available funds to keep those services running, according to the contingency plan.
The plan goes on to say that notification to the public may be released by the National Park Service on Sunday to allow for orderly closures to take effect Monday, October 2nd. Sites will generally be closed to the public, and areas that remain open will see significantly reduced services, the Department of the Interior says.
The contingency plan estimates nearly 13,000 park employees will be furloughed across the country during the shutdown, including many park employees on Delmarva.