In a webinar with White House staff this week, officials from the Biden administration presented an overview of what programs will be affected in the event the federal government, and in particular the US House of Representatives, is unable to reach an agreement on appropriations bills to fund the government. Failure to reach an agreement would lead to a government shutdown, in which the federal government ceases to operate any but the most essential functions.
A government shutdown would result in no new applications processed by the Small Business Administration, discontinuation of federally funded research on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, interruptions to the operation of rural housing programs, fewer inspections carried out in food safety programs, and no new agricultural loans issued during the shutdown period. This is especially troubling given that it is currently harvest season, and farmers often need loans during this part of the year. Some federal workers would be required to continue working without pay, like air traffic controllers and workers for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This will likely cause delays and interruptions in air travel.
What happens to people who rely on federal nutrition programs for food? In the briefing the administration said that payments to those who are enrolled in SNAP will receive their October funds, but that those who are enrolled in WIC are likely to face delays or interruptions in their benefits. If the potential shutdown lasts into November, SNAP benefits will also be interrupted.
What about federally funding early childhood education, like Headstart? Headstart will not be able to operate in the event of a government shutdown. That means that children who rely on Headstart, including students who are eligible due to economic reasons and children who qualify because of learning or developmental disabilities will not have access to those services during a potential shutdown.
What about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)? FEMA has prepared for the potential shutdown by holding back some funds designated for long-term disaster recovery so that they can be ready to respond in the event of a natural disaster occurring during the potential shutdown. President Biden has requested $16 billion dollars to replenish FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund and the agency requested $20 billion for the fund in the 2024 fiscal year budget. This means that ongoing relief work in Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria in 2017, as well as an earthquake in 2020 and Hurricane Fiona in 2022, is on hold pending a decision on appropriations. The reason FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is low on funds is because of the number of disasters this year, including Hurricane Idalia, which hit the big bend region of Florida, the wildfires in Hawaii, and others, which make up part of twenty-three billion dollar disasters that have affected the US in 2023 alone. As I write this, New York City and the surrounding region is experiencing torrential rain that is already causing significant flooding and damage and it is still the middle of hurricane season. There is no way of knowing when or where natural disasters will strike, and FEMA is an essential part of the response to these events. And, the incidence of natural disasters, and the money spent in recovering from them, has been shown to increase as a result of climate change.
At issue is whether the federal government can pass the required twelve appropriations bills which set the budgets of federal agencies going into the next fiscal year. The Texas Standard aired a good explainer of the federal appropriations process and the current conflict this morning.
How will Texans be affected by the potential government shutdown? There are many potential ways. Delays in processing of crop insurance claims, limited availability of agricultural loans, delays in processing applications for small businesses, delays in processing paperwork for passports and visas, interruptions to childcare and family support programs, uncertainty around nutrition programs like WIC and SNAP, delayed processing of tax returns, changes in access to rural housing programs, and even interruptions in access to National Parks like Big Bend. And in the event of a natural disaster, like a hurricane, the lack of funding to FEMA will make coordinating response and recovery less effective. Another major issue for Texans is that agents who work at our borders will not receive pay, though many will be required to report to work. This doesn’t include the ripple effects on communities as unpaid workers cannot buy food, pay rent, pay childcare workers, give charitably, or rely on federally funded childcare so they can go to work.
Texans rely on federal programs for many things from early childhood education to crop insurance to nutrition programs to border control. A government shutdown will mean that the lives of Texans, especially Texans who are already living at the margins, will be disrupted due to a political argument. As Texans of faith, we reject the practice of using government shutdowns as a political weapon. Put pressure on your members of Congress to pass the remaining appropriations bills today.
