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The country’s airlines and military members could once again take the brunt of a government shutdown as lawmakers remain gridlocked over how to avoid a government shutdown come Feb. 1.
Democrats walked away from a bipartisan deal to fund the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services on Thursday. That means those areas could see services limited or paused altogether due to a lack of funds.
It could be a smaller repeat of the shutdown in October that went for 43 days over Democrat healthcare demands. This time, a payment crunch would be narrower.
While employees in the Legislative Branch, the Justice Department, Department of the Interior and more can expect to continue receiving paychecks, the Defense bill’s failure still threatens the paychecks of service members.
“Too often, our hardworking men and women — particularly those in the Armed Forces — have had their livelihoods held hostage by political shenanigans in the Congress because of disagreements on unrelated issues,” Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., a member of the Armed Services Committee, said Thursday.
His thoughts were echoed by Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., another committee member.
“Our service members have already endured a Schumer-manufactured government shutdown and should not be put through another one,” Scott said.
Like in the last shutdown, the funding gridlock also threatens airport employees who work for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), included as a part of the DHS package. In October, several weeks without paychecks forced flight delays and cancellations as employees needed to ensure flight safety — like air traffic controllers — began looking for side jobs and alternative sources of revenue.
Repeated travel delays are of special concern to Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, who said his constituents could be especially hurt in a season when the state depends especially on imports.
“Our state depends on aviation for nearly everything, and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world. A breakdown anywhere in the system due to a government shutdown could mean a family in Utqiaġvik missing a critical medical appointment in Anchorage, or food and cargo deliveries being delayed for days in remote communities,” Begich said.
“Disruptions caused by a shutdown and short staffing raise real safety concerns in Alaska, especially during the winter months,” he added.
On top of transportation and military pay, a second shutdown could also hit the Medicaid and Medicare government services. Because of funding at risk in the HHS bill, the country could experience a similar bottleneck to healthcare access for people with low incomes, disabilities and the elderly.
Asked about those potential shutdown areas, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said voters should take note.
“I think people should be weighing the consequences of the administration,” Reed said.
DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT
The Department of War declined to comment on when service members would receive their next paycheck or whether they thought it could be at risk of being delivered on time.
The four-bill spending package fell flat in the Senate on Thursday when Senate Democrats and seven Senate Republicans derailed a procedural vote needed to advance it.
Lawmakers remain divided over the DHS portion of the package.
The legislation comes without key demands Democrats made regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency that operates under DHS.
KEY SENATOR WON’T FUND DHS AS ICE, FEDERAL AGENTS ENTER HIS STATE
In the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti earlier this month — the second deadly clash between immigration authorities and civilians in January — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats have said their support is conditional on tightening ICE’s warrant requirements, ending roving patrols, requiring ICE to partner with state and local law enforcement, a uniform code of conduct, a no mask policy, and body camera requirement.
Senate Republicans are currently working through roadblocks built within their ranks. A handful in the Senate GOP are frustrated by the nature of the compromise deal struck by Trump and Schumer, the billions in earmarks attached to the original package, and the repeal of a provision that allows senators to sue for $500,000 who had their phone records subpoenaed by former Special Counsel Jack Smith as part of his Arctic Frost probe.
The upper chamber is hoping to complete its work on the new package Friday evening and send the modified bundle to the House.
DesJarlais said he believes Democrats can continue pressing for changes they want to see without putting parts of the government at risk.
“It should stop,” DesJarlais said of the political gridlock. “There are plenty of other ways for Democrats to achieve their policy goals rather than engage in tactics simply designed to post something on their social media profiles.”
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