Federal government shutdown appears imminent

Congress appears on the cusp of shutting down the federal government. Congress would need to pass spending measures by September 30 to avoid a shutdown beginning on October 1.

Traditionally the House introduces funding measures, but at this time the Republican-controlled House has been unable to agree on an approach that can get a majority of votes. Some proposals for continuing resolutions would impose across-the-board cuts on some departments but preserve others, like the military and border security. Further complicating the debate are calls for additional disaster funding for hard-hit communities and more funding for Ukraine.

House Republicans have been working on a potential plan that would involve passing multiple individual funding bills, but with policy and spending provisions that Senate Democrats are likely to oppose. And passing multiple individual measures will take time and definitely extend beyond the September 30 deadline.

With the House struggling to come up with something that can pass, word is now that the Senate is working to find agreement on a stopgap funding bill. The Senate has a better track record of their chief budget writers working in a bipartisan manner. The Senate Committee on Appropriations Chair is Washington state’s own Sen. Patty Murray, who has developed a good working relationship with the ranking member, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

What does this mean for cities and what is impacted by a shut down? It can mean a delay in federal funding distributions or a pause in federally funded programs and services like passport processing and some inspections. It can also mean temporary closures of federal facilities like national parks. It may also mean federal employees will not be paid during a shutdown. Mandatory programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security checks won’t be affected by a shutdown.

Any action that passes may only be temporary, as some of the discussions have been about another short-term continuing resolution that may be good for as little as 30 days.

What happens next? It is hard to say. The last federal government shutdown in 2018-2019 lasted 34 days, and the previous shutdown in 1995-1996 lasted 21 days. Some type of bipartisan deal will likely be necessary if something is going to pass both the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate. With narrow majorities in both and negotiations ongoing, it could take only a few members to cross party lines to reach the majority necessary to pass a bipartisan deal.

For more on potential public safety impacts see this article from NLC.

Here are some additional resources recommended by NLC:

• Why a government shutdown is complex for state and local governments
• Federal agency contingency plans for a lapse in appropriations (shutdown)
• Government shutdowns and executive branch operations: frequently asked questions (FAQ)