Oct 1, 2025 - News

Mass. federal workers stranded during shutdown

Mike Deehan

Illustration of the Capitol Dome with a sign that reads "sorry, we're closed" — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

When the federal government shut down at 12:01am this morning, it immediately affected over 25,000 federal workers across Massachusetts and threatens over $15 billion in federal funding.

Why it matters: The Bay State's $61 billion fiscal 2026 budget relies heavily on federal reimbursements, mostly for expensive health care programs.

State officials say there's no additional funding to cover federal shortfalls.

State of play: Massachusetts officials delivered an impact assessment to the comptroller's office yesterday, outlining payroll concerns for federally-funded employees and risks to some critical programs.

What's closed: The Bunker Hill Monument and JFK Library are shuttered.

Federal park rangers are furloughed, but local workers may help out with maintenance like they did during the 2019 shutdown.
TSA agents and air traffic controllers remain at Logan Airport working without pay, for now.

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Mass. federal workers stranded during shutdown

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