Federal workers in Massachusetts are looking at the possibility of furloughs as a government shutdown looms. U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who represents Massachusetts’ 8th District, says the situation only adds to the burden faced by federal employees, who have been dealing with major uncertainty amid layoffs and funding cuts.
Lynch argues that with President Donald Trump in power, this go-around is different than previous shutdown battles.
“Usually we have partners on the other side who are sincerely trying to avoid the shutdown. In this case, you have a president who would like to see the government shut down,” the congressman told GBH News. “He has brought in Elon Musk to get rid of employees and shut down agencies.”
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve funding or funding extensions needed for federal agencies and programs. During a shutdown, agencies halt nonessential functions. Essential services, like air traffic control and law enforcement, continue during a shutdown, but those workers go without pay until Congress approves funding and the president signs it into law.
Lynch says many of the federal employees in his district have expressed concern about a shutdown.
“Even though some of them may be designated as essential employees and required to be still on the job, their pay would cease,” he said. “So that’s problematic for their families who have mortgages and bills to pay.”
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who represents Massachusetts’ 7th District, said Republicans are “playing games with people’s lives.”
“And it’s the most vulnerable who would be harmed most by a Republican shutdown — folks at risk of eviction who need rental assistance, seniors who need assistance with their Social Security or Medicaid benefits, women and children who depend on SNAP to put food on the table,” she wrote in a statement to GBH News.
While a complete government shutdown will have widespread effects, Lynch is also concerned the Trump administration would use a partial government shutdown to expedite their agenda.
“They might be able to reactivate some of their favorite agencies and leave others, like [the Department of Education] or [the Environmental Protection Agency], inoperative,” he said. “That is problematic for us.”
Despite possible longer term consequences, Lynch voted against this week’s House spending bill that would have averted a shutdown. The bill called for drastic cuts to programs a broad base of Democrats support.
In her statement, Pressley said “Democrats must use the limited tools they have to call out Republicans, refuse this dirty deal, and craft a real budget that protects essential functions of government. This is not a drill.”
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