Looming government shutdown threatens service members, FEMA, TSA amid ICE impasse
This is performative politics again.
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 …
This is performative politics again.
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 …
Looming government shutdown threatens service members, FEMA, TSA amid ICE impasse
This is performative politics again.
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 …
