A possible government shutdown is looming.
Current funding for the federal government expires at the end of this Friday . If a funding bill is not passed, then the government will be forced to furlough thousands of federal workers and reduce federal services. Here’s what that means for Illinois.
How many federal employees are in Illinois?
Illinois has 44,784 federal civilian employees as of December 2024, according to
data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management .
Would all federal workers in Illinois stop working?
If the government shuts down, federal employees throughout the country would be working with pay, working without pay, or furloughed with no income. Some federal employees would be deemed essential and not stop working, such as law enforcement and those involved in national defense.
Do state employees stop working under a federal government shutdown?
State employees whose employers depend on federal funds to operate could be out of work during a shutdown if their work is deemed by the government to be non-necessary, according to a
USA Today report from 2023. State employees who receive salaries from private employers who do not rely on federal funds wouldn’t necessarily be impacted, though certain state employees could be furloughed until a shutdown passes.
How many state employees are in Illinois?
Illinois employs more than 76,000 people at state agencies and departments, according to a
2022 report from The State Journal-Register.
U.S. Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service would not be affected because it does not depend on Congress for funding.
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
These agencies and programs would continue because some of their mandatory spending is not subject to annual appropriations by Congress.
National Parks
National parks, monuments, and other sites would close to the public , with rangers furloughed and facilities shut down. Some states may temporarily fund park operations, as seen during the 2018-2019 shutdown, according to
USA Today .
TSA and air traffic controllers
Any travel plans are unlikely to be disrupted. Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports, as well as air-traffic control workers
would be required to work . Some airports in past shutdowns have struggled with staffers not showing up to work, though, which forced some operations to be suspended.
Why might the Republican proposal not pass?
Actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency and Musk are top of mind for Democrats , who warned that a shutdown could be looming as they push back against Republicans' proposal, endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at [email protected].
