How a government shutdown would affect Virginia
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A federal government shutdown is looking more and more likely.
State of play: The House is expected to spend the rest of the week trying to pass appropriations bills before turning to a stopgap spending bill on Friday, giving lawmakers just one day to try to head off a shutdown.
Why it matters: The impacts on Virginia, with its huge federal workforce, would be myriad.
- The state is home to more than 140,000 federal employees — the highest concentration behind California.
- That number doesn't include thousands of state residents who work in the military or as federal contractors.
For federal employees, the effects would be immediate and obvious. Most would be furloughed without pay.
- Workers deemed essential, like law enforcement and air traffic controllers, would be required to remain on the job, also without pay.
Of note: Federal workers have always received back pay after the government reopens, but making it that long without a paycheck can present a challenge depending on how long a shutdown lasts.
- When the last shutdown in 2019 stretched 35 days, federal employees in the D.C. area were left lining up at food banks and soup kitchens.
With Virginia's legislative races in full swing, there are also political implications.
- Virginia Republicans are fretting about voters taking out their anger on the GOP in November's state elections if a shutdown actually happens.
- "Republicans in Congress are making it harder for Republicans in Virginia to win," said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. "Taking away someone's paycheck, even temporarily, is a major source of anxiety."
Zoom out: A shutdown would have ripple effects across the country, from travel delays at airports to delayed food safety inspections by the FDA.
Go deeper: Social Security, Medicare, SNAP benefits and more in the balance