Most Los Angeles County communities did not expect the federal government shutdown to have major impacts on its residents. Law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders will be on the job, your mail will be delivered and schools will be open as usual.
But it may take folks a bit longer to travel, some specific government processing may slow or halt completely, and the overall impact may be felt more deeply the longer the shutdown endures.
Long Beach officials, for example, issued a statement on Wednesday, Oct. 1, telling residents that day-to-day services will not be immediately impacted by the shutdown. Local government remains open and operational, including police and fire departments, public health, trash and recycling pickup, street sweeping and road maintenance, libraries, permitting, licensing and inspections, and parks and recreation programming, according to the statement. Other communities issued similar statements.
“However, the city is closely monitoring the situation, as a prolonged shutdown could begin to impact certain federally funded programs, such as housing assistance, nutrition programs and other safety net services administered in partnership with federal agencies,” the statement from Long Beach officials said. “There may also be implications for jobs, economic activity and regional stability if the shutdown persists.”
Social Security payments, Medicare and Medicaid, the U.S. Postal Service and the Veterans Administration are expected to remain operational.
Some VA services would be limited, however, according to Peter Kasperowicz, the agency’s press secretary.
“Radical liberals in Congress are trying to shut down the government to achieve their crazy fantasy of open borders, ‘transgender’ for everybody and men competing in women’s sports,” Kasperowicz said in a statement. “If they succeed, they will stop critical Veterans care and assistance programs.”
Kasperowicz said that during a shutdown the VA would not provide Veteran career counseling or transition assistance program activities, operate its GI Bill Hotline, staff benefits regional offices, place headstones or maintain the grounds at national cemeteries, among other services.
Burials will continue, however, at VA cemeteries, he said.
Veteran health care will not be impacted, added Kasperowicz. VA Medical Centers, outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers will be open. Veterans benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education and housing benefits.
Some local officials encouraged community members to contact their federal representatives to come to an agreement and pass a federal spending budget as soon as possible.
But the U.S. Senate adjourned for the day on Wednesday with no resolution on how to reopen the government.
Blame was being cast on all sides on the first day of the shutdown. A vote to end the government shutdown failed earlier Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to extend.
At issue are tax credits that have made health insurance through the Affordable Care Act more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19 pandemic. The credits are set to expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t extend them — which would more than double what subsidized enrollees currently pay for health insurance premiums, according to a KFF analysis.
Senators will return Friday, after a break for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, to vote again on a GOP measure to extend federal funding for seven weeks.
In California, the shutdown won’t ground firefighters, but could slow the money that pays for future disaster preparedness.
Nick Schuler, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, said the agency does not expect a shutdown to affect its “ability to respond to and aggressively attack fires” and will continue to operate as normal. In past shutdowns, he said, U.S. Forest Service firefighters have still been available for emergency response and pointed to California’s “robust Master Mutual Aid System,” which ensures resources respond regardless of jurisdiction.
Still, he cautioned that what keeps engines running today might not pay for the prevention work of tomorrow: “Any disruption to grant funding that supports fire prevention and wildfire resiliency could have negative impacts,” he said.
Governor Newsom’s office said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would keep “core life-saving operations” going during a shutdown but that payments to states would stall and recovery efforts would be put on hold. That means Californians could see first responders in action but face delays in reimbursement or recovery projects.
Other science agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey could face interruptions that affect California’s disaster readiness, the governor’s spokesperson said.
A message on the website of Joshua Tree National Park, which straddles the San Bernardino and Riverside counties, said, “National parks remain as accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown. However, some services may be limited or unavailable.”
According to a National Park Service memo, trails, memorials and other publicly accessible areas “will generally remain accessible to visitors. … If a facility or area is locked or secured during non-business hours (buildings, gated parking lots, etc.) it should be locked or secured for the duration of the shutdown.”
But with park rangers absent, there’s the potential for Joshua trees to be vandalized, as happened during the 35-day shutdown in 2018-19.
During that shutdown, park trash bins were not emptied and restrooms were not cleaned, and people drove into unspoiled areas and cut down fences. Volunteers tried to fix the damage. But it could take centuries for the damaged Joshua trees to fully regrow, The New York Times reported in 2019.
Throughout Southern California residents will still be able to fly, but they might see more delays. LAX, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, Ontario and other local airports remained open and fully operational.
Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents are among the government employees who would be expected to show up for work without getting paid. The longer a shutdown drags out, the more likely it is that the system will strain and workers will call in sick.
Travelers are encouraged to check their flight status directly with their airline before arriving at the airport.
The U.S. Travel Association, which advocates for the industry, released a statement last week that included a survey showing many people would cancel or postpone travel during a shutdown, which it argued would ripple through the economy.
“A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy — costing $1 billion every week — and affecting millions of travelers and businesses while placing unnecessary strain on an already overextended federal travel workforce,” said Geoff Freeman, the organization’s president.
Schools should be open across Southern California, but the U.S. Education Department will see more of its work come to a halt.
Federal financial aid will keep flowing, and student loan payments will still be due.
One of the department’s major roles is management of the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. Student aid will be largely unaffected in the short term, according to the department’s shutdown contingency plan. Pell Grants and federal loans will continue to be disbursed, and student loan borrowers must continue making payments on their debts.
But investigations into civil rights complaints will stop, and the department will not issue new federal grants. About 87% of its workforce will be furloughed, according to a department contingency plan.
The department says many of its core operations will continue during the shutdown. Federal financial aid will keep flowing, and student loan payments will still be due. But investigations into civil rights complaints will stop, and the department will not issue new federal grants. About 87% of its workforce will be furloughed, according to a department contingency plan.
Staff writers Hanna Kang and Jeff Horseman, the Associated Press, CalMatters and City News Service contributed to this report.