At midnight on Friday, January 19th, the federal government officially shut down after the United States Senate was unable to pass a short-term spending bill to keep the government up and running.
While some agencies funded by the federal government are forced to close their doors – or remain partially operational – it’s also important to note that other federal agencies have alternate funding sources, meaning they are not directly affected by an annual lapse in appropriations funding.
As congressional leadership continues to work to reach a deal to reopen the federal government, please know my offices will remain fully staffed and open during normal business hours if you are in need of any assistance. For specific information regarding what happens when the federal government shuts down, which agencies are affected, and guidance on emergency furloughs, please see below:
How will the government shutdown affect different agencies?
A full directory of government operations under the shutdown can be found at: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/agency-contingency-plans/.
Impacts of a Government Shutdown:
Which federal employees continue to work during a government shutdown?
During the event of a government shutdown, agencies must classify their employees as “essential” or “nonessential”. Those classified as “essential” will continue working throughout the government shutdown, receiving pay at the first of the month for the preceding month. All three of my offices will remain fully operational during the shutdown. Click here for more information regarding shutdown furloughs.
Will furloughed federal employees receive back pay?
That is up to Congress and the White House. The precedent has been that furloughed employees are later paid, through legislative action, which is what occurred after the government shutdown in 2013.
Will I continue to receive my Social Security, Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) checks?
Social Security checks will continue to be mailed out.
What happens to Medicaid and Medicare?
Medicare and Medicaid will be unaffected.
Will Veterans’ Hospitals remain open?
Yes, Veterans Hospitals remain open. The VA estimates that 95.5 percent of its total workforce would report to work because these employees are either funded by advanced appropriations or deemed essential personnel. A VA contingency plan can be found here: https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/43654/va-contingency-plan-2017/
Will I get continue to receive my mail?
United States Postal Service operations will not be impacted.
Will National Parks be open?
The Administration has announced it will work to keep national parks accessible to the public during the shutdown on a case by case basis. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of the Interior website.
What will happen to the Department of Defense and active duty military?
All active-duty service members will continue in a “normal duty status" as well as those on reserve component personnel. Civilian personnel, including military technicians, who are not necessary to carry out or support excepted activities, are to be furloughed. Click here for more information about continuing operations at the DOD during a lapse of appropriations.
Immigration Update:
It’s incredibly upsetting that Congress has not done anything substantial on immigration reform since the Reagan Administration, over 31 years ago, as the issues have been known and endlessly debated. To name a few, these issues include DACA, border security, visa programs, diversity lottery, merit-based reform, agricultural visa workers, entry without interview, visa overstays, sanctuary cities and others.
More than four months ago, President Trump ended the Obama Administration’s DACA policy and called on the 115th Congress to do its job by March 5th of this year. The deadline presents an opportunity to shift immigration policy decisions from the Executive Branch back to the Legislative Branch. This responsibility of the Legislative Branch is clearly outlined in the United States Constitution. Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 states, “The Congress shall have Power To… establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization.” Congress should have visited and provided permanent legislation on immigration over the past few decades but has yet to do so in any meaningful way.
The immigration policy discussion is unrelated to the current funding cycle. Knowing Congress does not do well with deadlines, the current impasse is precisely why I supported a parliamentary procedure (H.Res.508) that would have brought DACA to the floor by the end of last year. If enough of my colleagues joined, this discharge petition process would bring immigration legislation to the Rules Committee and House Floor, where amendments may be debated, discussed, and voted on. Regardless of what your position is on the issue, Congress needs to be held accountable and it’s unfortunate that Congress continues to play politics at the expense of this issue.
Appropriations Update:
As you may know, the House passed all 12 appropriations bills to fund the government for the entire year by the September 30th, 2017 deadline. As an appropriator, I cannot even begin to express my frustration with the fact that the House was once again forced to pass another Continuing Resolution last week because the Senate has yet to consider any of these appropriations bills – which is the reason we’re in our current situation.
In fact, the last time the Senate passed a single appropriations bill on its own was in 2001. However, the last time the Senate passed all 12 appropriations bills individually before the start of the fiscal year was in 1994.
The measures the House passed months ago would provide funding through the end of the fiscal year for several critical programs and agencies that Americans rely on – programs that are put at risk if the government shuts down. Some of these programs include: the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Military readiness programs, and funding for the Veterans Choice Program which gives our nation’s heroes access to quality care.
Each of these programs were funded in the short-term spending bill the House passed last Friday in an attempt to keep the federal government funded through February. It’s extremely unfortunate to see some of my colleagues in the Senate choose to hold this critical funding hostage by voting against this legislation and shutting down the government. Learn more about these bills below:
H.R. 3922, the Championing Healthy Kids Act
This legislation would extend funding for important programs and providers such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Community Health Centers (CHCs), and other important public health priorities. Additionally, this bill is fully offset as it includes responsible policies to pave the way for new spending. These offset policies would help lower premiums, stabilize insurance markets, and redirect dollars to proven public health programs all while ensuring low income children and medically underserved populations have access to the care and services they deserve.
*This bill passed the House on 11/3/2017. To date, the Senate has not taken any action on this legislation.
H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Act
This legislation includes the following Appropriations bills: Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy and Water. Also known as the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, this bill would provide funding for our national security initiatives, military priorities, and veterans. Additionally, it contains a portion of the Homeland Security Appropriations bill which includes the White House’s requested amount for construction to begin on the southern border. The passage of this legislation means this is the fifth year in a row the House has successfully provided increased funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Over the last five years, we’ve increased funding for the VA by nearly 27%.
*This bill passed the House on 7/27/2017. To date, the Senate has not taken any action on this legislation.
H.R. 3354, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act
This legislation incudes the remaining eight Appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2018 that were not included in H.R. 3219. H.R. 3354 includes the: Agriculture, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, State & Foreign Operations, Transportation, and Commerce, Justice & Science Appropriations bills. This bill accomplishes our spending priorities by providing appropriate levels of funding for important federal agencies and programs, while eliminating wasteful spending for a number of underachieving programs.
*This bill passed the House on 9/14/2017. To date, the Senate has not taken any action on this legislation.
As this is written, reports are indicating another Continuing Resolution is being worked on in the Senate to fund the federal government for the next 16 days. It would sure be interesting to see all of these issues mentioned above pressed into just 16 days, when the root of all of these issues are years old. As I’ve said before, I do not find government shutdowns to be an effective or responsible tool for negotiation – especially when it comes to providing funding for children’s health programs, our Armed Forces, and our nation’s veterans. I’m hopeful that I’m not tasked with having to write another newsletter on this same topic in the coming weeks.
For additional information, please visit my website at amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760 or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
