A federal government shutdown starts tomorrow if both chambers of congress don't agree on a spending plan by then. There are certain implications a shutdown could have on Mississippian's.
In the event of a federal government shutdown Mississippi 2nd District Congressman Bennie Thompson believes it would have a significant impact on the state. " First of all of all those federal employees will be classified as either essential or non essential. Non essential employees will be sent home, essential workers will continue to work. However, they will work without pay. Now as soon as this shutdown if it occurs once it is over they will get retroactive pay."
About 24 thousand Mississippians are employed by the federal government. Under a shutdown nearly 12 thousand of those could face mandatory furloughs. Dr. Ward Sayer is the Director of Economics at the University of Southern Mississippi. He says while the average Mississippian will see little interruption in services such as social security and veterans benefits. More recognizable signs might be seen in the defense industry which he says could cause a trickledown effect in communities across the state.
"Just to go back for example for the Stennis example. You know all but probably about six employees would be furloughed there which in the short run people wouldn't really feel the effects of very much. But when you're talking about possibly thousands of employees not receiving a paycheck then businesses that provide services to those employers would also be affected. But the longer the shutdown goes on you're going to have more and more of a drag on the economy."
"And that's why we need to come to an agreement."
That's what Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker said while speaking recently on NPR's program, "Here and Now."
"I think the best thing to do is keep the government open for a few days. Pivot to the debt ceiling bill and for reasonable minds to agree. We have divided government. We have a republican speaker of the house. We have a democratic president, democratic majority of the senate. Nobody is going to get everything they want."
The current budget year ends today. In the absence of a temporary funding bill, at least a partial government shutdown is possible beginning at midnight.
