Press Releases

PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON POTENTIAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Washington, D.C., September 28, 2023

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland

September 28th, 2023                                                    340-201-6453

Press Release

PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON POTENTIAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the impending federal government shut down:

“With just 2 days remaining until a potential federal government shutdown, I and my Democratic colleagues in the House are doing everything in our power to keep the government running and working without interruption for our respective districts. The Speaker made a promise to the American people in May to pass bipartisan legislation that keeps the government open—it is time for House Republicans to do their jobs and put American families first. 

“Nonetheless, we must prepare ourselves if Speaker McCarthy is unable to foster agreement on a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would keep the government funded until November 15th, or longer-term appropriation bills that would fund the government for a year.  According to new data released by House Budget Committee Democrats, a Republican government shutdown would mean:

  • The approximately 417 civilian federal government employees in the Virgin Islands, not including our servicemembers in the Armed forces, would be potentially furloughed and unable to work.
  • Federal law enforcement, air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and military servicemembers will remain on the job but will be required to work without being paid. 
  • USDA has enough resources to administer SNAP for one month following a September 30 shutdown. (Benefits will be safe for October.) If the shutdown lasts into November or beyond, those benefits will be impacted.
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture loans will not be processed for farmers. 
  • Passport offices will not process new passports and ones in process will be delayed.
  • Social Security (SS) Recipients will continue to receive their Social Security checks. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and processing overpayments. Customer service wait times will dramatically increase.
  • Current Medicare, Medicaid, and disability insurance beneficiaries will continue to receive their benefits assuming a shutdown lasts less than three months.
  • All Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and clinics will remain operational. The VA will continue to process veterans’ benefits. However, veterans will be affected by the shutdown of other services that they count on, including education and job training, support for veteran owned businesses, and even assistance for homeless veterans.
  • USPS operations will not be affected and will continue as normal.

“Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans and House Democrat Members have all worked together to craft a Continuing Resolution (CR) that keeps the government open until November 15th as details of longer appropriations bills are negotiated with Speaker McCarthy, his Caucus, and House Democrats.  We are grateful that the Senate Leadership placed much needed funding into FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, especially since last week FEMA had announced that its nationwide Disaster Relief Fund was approaching exhaustion and had imposed an “Immediate Needs Funding” guidance for the remaining balances in the Fund. Under this new protocol, there are no new commitments from the Disaster Relief Fund to provide assistance not essential for lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, such as permanent rebuilding and hazard mitigation work. The FEMA Immediate Needs Funding restrictions will hold up projects that have not had funds obligated to date but are otherwise worthy of funding to rebuild critical infrastructure like schools and hospitals both in the Virgin Islands as well as those across the nation.   The allocation by the Senate of $6 billion dollars, if passed by the House in the Continuing Resolution will ensure that new rebuilding projects in the Virgin Islands which have not been obligated will continue to move toward an obligation award by FEMA working with the Office of Disaster Recovery.

“My staff and I will continue working on your behalf and will remain available to assist as we are able, although we may not be able to get answers from federal agencies that have been impacted.”

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