Congress has until midnight Tuesday to reach a funding agreement. If the deadline passes, parts of the federal government could shut down as soon as this week. For Rochester, the effects would not be immediate, but a prolonged shutdown could touch the local economy.
According to federal labor data, just over 4,000 people in Rochester work in federal government jobs. Some of those employees would be furloughed.
Essential services such as Social Security and Medicare benefits would continue, but local offices could cut back on in-person assistance. The Social Security Administration already announced they are going paperless in order to save costs, after an executive order from President Donald Trump declaring all federal benefits be issued electronically. The office will stop issuing paper checks September 30, independent of a shutdown.
Programs like SNAP and WIC, that provide food assistance to thousands in Monroe County, are expected to continue at first. But advocates warn funding could be disrupted if the shutdown lasts more than a few weeks.
The University of Rochester and RIT could also see delays in federal research grants, which provide millions of dollars to local projects each year. University officials say that even short lapses can disrupt research timelines and lab funding. Local universities have already experienced reductions and delays in funding through federal actions including proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health.
The scope of the impact across the broader Rochester community depends largely on how long the shutdown lasts. Across the country, states with high concentrations of government workers expect more immediate impacts.
Lawmakers are at a standoff over spending levels and health care provisions, with Republicans pushing a short-term funding bill and Democrats demanding protections for Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid.
The only way to prevent or end a shutdown is for Congress to pass a funding measure, and for the president to sign it.
