A partial government shutdown may start Saturday, observers fear.
“There is not a clear path to avoiding a lapse in federal government funding,” Michael Gessel, vice president of federal government programs for the Dayton Development Coalition, said. “Enough senators — both Republican and Democratic — have indicated they will not approve the package of appropriations bills as passed by the House. Any change made in the Senate will require agreement from the House, which is not scheduled to return from recess before funding runs out at the end of Friday."
Senate Democrats are demanding judicial warrants for immigration arrests and want federal agents to identify themselves, among other mandates.
The most recent government shutdown wasn’t that long ago. That record-setting, 43-day lapse ended Nov. 12 impacting (among others) more than 8,000 civilian employees who work at or for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the largest concentration of employment in one location in the state of Ohio.
As the previous shutdown wound into a second month, some 8,100 civilians at Wright-Patterson received new 30-day furlough notices in early November.
The National Park Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs are funded through fiscal year 2026 because Congress passed bills funding those agencies since the last shutdown, Gessel noted. Department of Defense funding is still pending.
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, six of 12 funding bills have yet to be enacted. A partial shutdown will result in furloughs at the agencies not funded, including the Defense Department, Health and Human Services, Education, Homeland Security and other departments.
These departments would furlough non-essential employees and require essential employees to work without pay. Furloughed employees are not allowed to work and will not be paid but are guaranteed back pay due to a law passed in 2019.
What happens now?
“We are aware of a possible lapse in appropriations this coming weekend,” an Air Force Materiel Command spokeswoman said. “We are currently reviewing paperwork, ensuring personnel codes are accurate, and determining any potential mission impacts. At this time, no additional action has been directed.”
AFMC is headquartered at Wright-Patterson.
“At this point, government shutdowns have established guidelines,” Gessel said. “Of course, the (Trump) administration could make changes. We will have to see how this evolves over the week. Some government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and National Park Service, are now funded through the year, so they would not be affected.”
“People here are snowed in like they are in most places around the country, although the work goes on virtually,” he added. “We’re all waiting to see what will happen next.”
The Senate returned to work Tuesday and a vote on avoiding a partial shutdown was thought to be likely this week, national reports indicated.
“Sen. Husted believes it is important to avoid another government shutdown — making sure our troops and TSA (Transportation Security Administration) agents get paid, FEMA operations are not impacted, and harmful consequences on the American people are avoided,“ a spokesperson for Ohio Sen. Jon Husted said. ”The current package the Senate is considering has already received bipartisan, bicameral support, and he hopes Senate Democrats continue to work with Senate Republicans to fund the government.”
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