8News: Lawmakers sound alarm on threat of government shutdown

8NEWS, HANNAH BRANDT

A federal shutdown is on the horizon with Congress at odds over how to fund the government. Right now, lawmakers are out on recess, but once they return to Capitol Hill the race to pass a budget is on.

Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is one of the lawmakers sounding the alarm about the possibility of a shutdown.

“I’m incredibly concerned.,” Spanberger said.

She says a government shutdown would be crushing for the millions of federal employees, like those living in her Virginia district. She adds that beyond that, a shutdown would hurt people across the country who rely on federal services like social security, Medicare or VA healthcare.

“When those agencies shut down in the case of a shutdown that work gets delayed and so the impact is significant no matter where you live,” Spanberger said.

The government will shut down if Democrats and Republicans fail to reach an agreement by Sept. 30.

“We should not fear a government shutdown,” Congressman Bob Good said. “Most of the American people won’t even miss if the government is shut down temporarily.”

Congressman Bob Good is among the lawmakers demanding major cuts to current government funding levels.

Republican Senator Rick Scott also wants to see spending slashed.

“This is all doable up here, and if we want to get inflation under control we have to balance our budget,” Scott said.

With Democrats in control of the Senate, those spending cuts have little chance of passing. That means lawmakers will be forces to compromise.

“Speaker McCarthy is going to have to put the needs of the country first and bring broadly bipartisan well supported bills to the floor,” Spanberger said.

Even with the tight timeline, Senator Tim Kaine says he thinks ultimately they can avoid a shutdown.

“We should find a budget and we will,” Kaine said.