The U.S. Congress has yet to agree on a short-term spending plan, so federal agencies are preparing for a government shutdown that is likely to begin Wednesday, the first day of the next fiscal year.
With the federal government’s outsized influence in Alaska, the impacts could be acute in the 49th state.
To some extent, what will happen is predictable, based on past shutdowns. This year might be different, though, because the White House Office of Management and Budget issued an unusual pre-shutdown memo late Wednesday. It directs agencies to take the shutdown as an opportunity to fire employees working on any program that is not funded by another law and not “consistent with the President’s priorities.”
Is it a bluff? Maybe. The memo is overtly political. It names Democrats and their “partisan demands” as the obstacle.
“We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the memo says.
On the other hand, the Trump administration has shown an appetite for cutting loose thousands of civil servants and disrupting the business-as-usual of bureaucracy.
While there are not a lot of definite answers yet, here are five things to know about the possible federal government shutdown:
Will I get my Social Security check and SNAP benefits? How about mail service?
Yes. Services that are mandatory or have a funding source other than annual appropriation bills will continue. Medicaid and food benefits for Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC, should remain on track. The office of Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is funded through the month of October. However, help desks and administrative services related to these services could be strained. This would not be a good time to change the bank account that your Social Security checks are sent to.
I’m planning to travel. Do I need to cancel my flights?
No. In past shutdowns, air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration personnel were considered essential workers and therefore continued to work, for the most part, despite not receiving pay until after the shutdown ended. Flights arrived and departed Alaska largely as normal. Air travelers might want to arrive at airports a little early, though. Some airports in the U.S. reported longer security lines than normal, as some TSA workers reportedly did not show.
I’m a federal worker. Will I get paid? Can I stay home?
Alaska is home to about 15,000 civilian federal workers. They’d be affected differently, depending on what jobs they do and how their agencies are funded.
• Essential workers, like air traffic controllers and FBI agents, would work but without paychecks until the impasse is resolved.
• Other workers would be furloughed. They’d get back pay when Congress passes a bill to restart the government.
• Some workers, if the OMB memo is taken seriously, will receive termination notices.
What about the military?
Service members are also required to remain on the job. A bill pending in the U.S. House would keep paychecks flowing to active duty personnel, including the Coast Guard, civilian base workers and Department of Defense contractors. If it passes before Wednesday or soon after the shutdown begins, the military would likely not experience an interruption to regular pay, although Military Times reports stipends and special pay might be delayed.
What about public lands? And could this disrupt Fat Bear Week?
We’ve sent inquiries to the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Until they respond, a general rule from past shutdowns is, if a facility or area is inaccessible during non-business hours, it will likely be locked for the duration of the lapse in funding. Most of Alaska’s public lands aren’t fenced or gated, though, so those areas would likely remain accessible, even if staff are not available.
As for Fat Bear Week, a beloved feature of Katmai National Park and Preserve, the champion is due to be crowned on Sept. 30, before the shutdown is supposed to begin.
