The federal government is heading toward a shutdown that could throw many county residents out of work or expect them to continue working without pay, according to U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th).
Unless Congress acts to keep or restore funding, many of this country’s safety net programs could dry up, depending on how long the shutdown lasts, he added.
“We are fighting for the best, but we are preparing for the worst,” Raskin said during a joint press conference Wednesday with County Executive Marc Elrich. “We have been working overtime to avoid a shutdown,” Raskin said.
Government workers would be most affected, but so would many others. Retirees depending on their federal checks as well as contractors who do not work for the government would also feel pain, Raskin said.
Those receiving SNAP benefits could see money in that fund dry up if the shutdown lasts awhile, Raskin said.
Restaurant workers who count on federal employees as customers, and janitors who clean Congressional offices could see their incomes drop steeply.
Federal workers who are furloughed would receive their normal pay once Congress agreed to a new budget and the government reopened. Those workers could apply for unemployment but would then have to reimburse the government for the amount they received once they received their back pay.
People who receive Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or veterans’ benefits will continue getting their checks, according to Raskin.
While air traffic controllers, TSA employees and those working for the U.S. Custom and Border Protection are considered essential workers and should remain at their jobs, Raskin said travel could be slowed.
He urged residents who would be affected if the government shutdown to visit the Office of Management and Budget website for details.
Raskin and Elrich, who are both Democrats, blamed a handful of Congressional Republicans for making it so difficult to reach a compromise. Raskin said that the U.S. Senate and House of Representative Democrats could together reach an agreement and avoid a shutdown.
Raskin, along with other legislators, have proposed a way to avoid future government shutdowns. If the government cannot agree on a spending plan, then current budget allocations would automatically continue until the new budget is approved.
Here is what Elrich and Raskin said during the news conference.
