Federal shutdown could hit Oregon air travel, parks and paychecks
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With the federal government shut down after lawmakers failed to agree on a spending bill, Portlanders will see varying impacts.
Why it matters: The longer the shutdown drags on, the more likely you'll see the effects in your daily life.
The big picture: Oregon is home to nearly 30,000 federal workers, many of whom have either been furloughed or are being asked to work without pay.
Air travel
Flights will continue operating as normal, but staff shortages could lead to delays or cancellations.
- More than 13,000 air traffic controllers will have to work without pay, per the Department of Transportation's plan.
- Roughly 3,500 aviation professionals who provide critical safety and operational support will also be furloughed.
National Parks
Crater Lake, Oregon's lone national park, will remain open, according to Department of Interior's contingency plan for the shutdown, though the park's website noted "some services may be limited or unavailable."
- Before the shutdown, the National Parks Conservation Association urged the National Park Service on Tuesday to close its parks.
- "A government shutdown would leave our parks understaffed and vulnerable, putting our most cherished places and millions of visitors at risk," the advocacy organization said in a press release.
- The association pointed to the last shutdown, when parks stayed open with limited staff, noting "irreparable" damage to park infrastructure from illegal off-roading, stolen artifacts, vandalized prehistoric petroglyphs and chopped-down trees.
The contingency plan says that areas may close if visitor access becomes a "safety, health or resource protection issue."
Benefits
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments typically continue during a shutdown.
- However, verification services and issuance of new Social Security cards may be delayed.
- In past shutdowns, the SSA has paused benefit verifications and earnings record corrections.
- SNAP payments generally continue, though delays are possible depending on the shutdown's duration.
Between the lines: Any National Guard troops deployed to Portland during a shutdown would likely have to work without pay, per a contingency plan posted by the Pentagon.
What's next: Republicans need to convince seven Democratic senators to vote for their spending plan to end the shutdown.
- If they can't, this could go on for a while.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include additional information on National Park closures from the Department of Interior.