On Oct. 15, federal government workers are scheduled to receive their second paycheck of the month. Yet, as the government shutdown enters its third week with no resolution in sight, hundreds of thousands of employees will not be receiving this paycheck.
The shutdown, which started on Oct. 1, occurred after the Senate failed to pass a government funding bill before the fiscal year deadline. The primary bipartisan point of contention was funding towards expiring healthcare tax credits and Medicaid.
Without an approved budget, federal agencies have halted many operations that require renewed funding, suspending numerous programs until Congress reaches a resolution. As a result, over 750,000 non-essential federal employees are currently furloughed, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
McLean High’s close proximity to federal government offices means that the effects of shutdowns hit close to home. In a recent survey of over 300 McLean High students, 50% of students reported that at least one parent worked in the federal government. The paychecks that hundreds of families rely on have stopped arriving, leaving many anxious about when work and income will resume.
Federal employees fall into two categories during shutdowns: “excepted”, essential workers who continue working without immediate pay, and “non-excepted”, furloughed workers who stay home unpaid.
Cindy*, a McLean parent who works at the Department of Justice, is considered a non-excepted worker.
“My daily routine has been disrupted, as I am not going to work anymore, and there is uncertainty around what will happen,” Cindy said. “We are not receiving a paycheck.”
Non-excepted workers like Cindy cannot work even if they want to, leaving them in financial limbo with mounting bills and no income. Families are adjusting spending with no clear timeline for when paychecks will resume.
“We’re being much more mindful of our spending,” Cindy said. “Next season we might have to make some adjustments.”
Because they are designated as critical to public safety and health, excepted employees must continue reporting to work without immediate pay. Many of these employees work for agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Transportation Security Administration and Federal Aviation Administration, which stay open regardless of a shutdown.
Sophomore Jacob Xu’s mother, an FDA employee, has experienced increased work hours and stricter monitoring since the shutdown began.
“Because [my mother] is in the FDA, her work hours actually increased,” Xu said. “It’s now been more strict in the way they monitor how long she works, because she has such a vital role in society.”
The rigid requirements have imposed logistical challenges on families. Xu’s mother must work precisely 8.5 hours daily, affecting family schedules.
“If I want to stay after school one day, my father might be at work and my mom might have to stay, so I might not have a ride,” Xu said. “It’s definitely affected the opportunities that I have.”
The shutdown’s impact on government funding has forced McLean families to make life-changing decisions about employment. Junior Haoping Du’s father, a NASA employee, recently left his position after months of budget delays.
“The projects [my dad] has been working on had no budget,” Du said. “He was debating whether to switch out, and because the government shut down, he decided to [leave].”
Beyond McLean, the impacts of the shutdown affect millions nationwide. National parks and public lands have closed or severely reduced their services, leaving millions of acres unstaffed and vulnerable. In previous shutdowns, parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon remained technically open but without maintenance, creating hazards for visitors such as overflowing trash and trail erosion,
Without funding, federal processing of Social Security benefits, passport applications and food assistance programs has stopped or slowed significantly, affecting thousands locally.
“Federal workers play an important role in serving communities,” Cindy said. “When the government shuts down, the services we provide come to a halt, and the communities and people suffer.”
Since 1976, the U.S. government has had 10 major shutdowns, reflecting an increasingly common occurrence. The longest shutdown in U.S. history ran for 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019, costing the economy an estimated $11 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Looking ahead, experts say the recurring shutdowns could diminish public confidence. Many agencies have developed short-term contingency plans, but without stable funding, both workers and the public remain vulnerable to repeated disruptions.
“We just hope this doesn’t become the new normal,” Cindy said. “All we can really do is wait and hope this mess ends soon.”
The duration of the current shutdown remains uncertain as the Senate continues negotiations.
“What concerns me the most is that there is no solution to the shutdown,” Cindy said. “The longer it continues, [the more] a common American citizen suffers the most.”
“Good Afternoon FCPS Staff and Families,
I know today’s federal government shutdown is weighing heavily on the hearts and minds of families and staff in our community. In the shadow of the nation’s capital, we have many dedicated public servants and military personnel who live and work in Fairfax County.
Please know that we are here to support you and your family if you are impacted by this shutdown. When families are under stress – including work stress – children feel it too, which is why we are committed to providing a safe and routine environment for each and every student. There are also resources available that can support your family during the shutdown – which we all hope will not last long.
My hope, as I know is the hope of many in our community this morning, is that consensus can be reached in Congress and this government shutdown ends quickly. In the meantime, please know that you have the support of Team FCPS and we will continue to provide our students with a safe and routine learning environment that allows them to reach their full potential.”
— Michelle Reid, Superintendent
*Cindy is a pseudonym for an anonymous DOJ employee
