Press Releases

FACT SHEET: What a Government Shutdown Means for Virginia

Washington, September 29, 2023

Washington, DC – With just days left before extreme House Republicans drive the government into a reckless shutdown, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) shared the many harmful ways in which everyday Virginians would be impacted.

“While extreme Republicans in Congress are more concerned with playing partisan games, the hardworking families of Virginia’s 10th District will be forced to pay the price,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. “A shutdown will force federal workers including military servicemembers to go without pay, endanger access to food assistance for families in need, and disrupt essential government services we all rely on. Virginians should not be punished because of the recklessness and indifference of Republicans in Washington.”

According to new data released by the House Budget Committee, a government shutdown would have devastating consequences for families and businesses all across Virginia:

Missed Paychecks

  • 170,851 federal workers in Virginia would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of government contractor businesses who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.
  • 25,745 active duty and reserve military personnel in Virginia would be forced to go without pay.

Loss of Critical Federal Benefits

  • 855,287 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Virginia would lose access to critical food assistance benefits in a prolonged shutdown.
  • 127,124 Virginians would soon lose access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food assistance benefits.
  • State governments would be forced to pay for federal services like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially risking benefits for the 39,261 TANF beneficiaries in Virginia.

Delays in Essential Government Services

  • 49,400 people flying through Virginia airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers.
  • Workers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be sidelined, risking interruptions and delays to the 208 food safety, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other inspections conducted in Virginia last year.
  • The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans, which provide $646,724,633 in funding to help 3,311 families in rural Virginia communities buy homes every year.

Consequences for Small Businesses

  • The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides $512,508,600 in funding to small businesses in Virginia every year.
  • The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $67,563,000 in funding for farmers in Virginia every year.
  • 22,507,068 people who visit national parks in Virginia every year would be turned away or unable to fully access parks, monuments, and museums.

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