As the government shutdown brings a major portion of Northern Virginia’s economy to a halt, the commonwealth’s senators are doubling down on demands to strike a deal.
After months of upheaval, thousands of Arlington’s federal workers are facing renewed uncertainty as the shutdown that began yesterday (Wednesday) forces several agencies with local headquarters to furlough employees — all while the Office of Management and Budget is threatening another round of mass firings.
The Department of Defense has furloughed 45% of its civilian workers and the State Department has done the same to 38% of its workforce, according to a breakdown by The Washington Post. The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, which also have a significant presence in Arlington, have placed 11% and 8% of their workers on furlough, respectively.
All four of these agencies are among the county’s largest public employers, according to Arlington Economic Development.
These numbers only reflect some of the immediate impacts. For instance, many employees at Reagan National Airport are still working, but air traffic controllers are doing so without pay.
In a call with reporters yesterday, Sen. Mark Warner, who lives in Alexandria, acknowledged the immediate impact that the government shutdown is having on federal workers and contractors throughout the commonwealth. But the Democrat argued that it’s necessary in order to turn back from severe expected increases in healthcare costs, while also taking a stand against an administration that has been sowing chaos and fear in the federal workforce since January.
“The overwhelming majority of federal workers who have been in touch with me over the last few weeks have said they feel like they’ve been in a continuous shutdown already for the last seven months,” Warner said. “They feel like they’ve never been under more assault, and they want us to push back.”
Both Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) have underscored a desire to end the shutdown through swift negotiation with their Republican counterparts. Kaine added in a floor speech yesterday that he wants any budget resolution to include a guarantee that the deal won’t be undone shortly after the government reopens.
“[We can] find a path forward to negotiate health care fixes even if we don’t agree on all the details right now, and we can reach an agreement that a deal is a deal — which is a very reasonable request,” Kaine said. “I believe those are the two issues on the table, and they are issues that we are eminently capable of solving and solving very soon, and I’m going to do everything I can with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure that we do.”
The shutdown is happening because lawmakers deadlocked and missed the deadline for funding the government.
Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats including Warner and Kaine blocked it, insisting the measure address their health care concerns. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s mega-bill passed this summer and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.
Republicans called the Democratic proposal a nonstarter that would cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion.
While many federal workers are feeling the shutdown’s impacts most directly, the lapse in funding appropriations has also led to closures at some, but not all, federally operated sites in Arlington.
The U.S Air Force Memorial was closed to visitors today, although a contractor was still operating a gate to let people on official business in and out of the memorial’s parking lot. Similarly, the Arlington House in Arlington National Cemetery is closed, but the cemetery itself remains open.
“Arlington National Cemetery will continue to conduct operations using the remaining funding authority from multi-year appropriations,” a spokesperson told ARLnow. “This includes conducting burial operations, scheduling burial services, and executing all planned ceremonies. The cemetery will remain open to family pass holders and the public.”
If the shutdown lasts “for an extended time,” however, “the Executive Director will re-evaluate to determine which services to suspend to prioritize burial operations.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum in Pentagon City is also closed, and its website now includes a statement from the Department of Justice on the current situation.
“Democrats have shut down the government,” it says. “Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.”
Other federally operated sites remain open. Visitors could be seen walking around the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial today, and the National Park Service told ARLnow that it “will continue to keep parks as accessible as possible during the lapse in appropriations.”
“Critical functions that protect life, property, and public health will remain in place, including visitor access in many locations, law enforcement, and emergency response,” a spokesperson said.
Gravelly Point, the Military Women’s Memorial and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial all remain open, according to the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
