What happens in Colorado if the federal government shuts down? Representative explains

DENVER (KDVR) — U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen issued a factsheet on how a federal government shutdown would impact Coloradans after another bill failed to pass the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

Republicans were looking to pull together a third funding plan Thursday night after Democrats and Republicans rejected a bill that would have paired three months of government funding with $110 billion in disaster and farm aid, in addition to other measures, along with a two-year suspension of the debt limit.

The federal government will shut down by the end of the day Friday if a funding measure is not passed. When a shutdown happens, many federal employees feel the impact. Some will be required to continue working without pay, such as air traffic control and soldiers, while other federal employees will be furloughed without pay until a funding measure is reached.

However, this won't save the government money. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, retroactive paychecks will be issued to cover furloughed days or days that employees worked without pay.

Colorado Democrats, Republicans weigh in on vote

Pettersen, a Democrat who represents Colorado's 7th Congressional House District, voted against the funding measure. She said in a statement released Thursday evening that Republicans had gone back on their word — likely in reference to President-elect Donald Trump's request that the debt ceiling be increased, something that many Republicans oppose.

“Shutting down the government and the services that so many rely on would hurt the military, our national security, our economy, and hardworking Coloradans," Pettersen said in a statement. "The legislation put forward by Republicans only paves the way for tax breaks for billionaires on the backs of working people. Let’s be clear: Republicans and Elon Musk will be responsible if the government shuts down.”

Musk, the billionaire who was tapped by Trump to co-lead a new federal department called the Department of Government Efficiency, called for the first government spending bill to be voted down. After a much thinner version of the bill was presented and subsequently voted down, Musk pointed to Democrats, saying the party would be at fault if the government did shut down.

However, not all Republicans were in favor of the second funding bill. U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, a Republican representing Colorado's 4th Congressional District, also voted against the second funding bill on Thursday.

“I applaud the work of President Trump, Vice President-Elect Vance, and Speaker Johnson to come to a spending agreement. However, I don’t believe in the use of continuing resolutions to constantly kick the spending can down the road,” said Lopez in an emailed statement.

“America elected Congress to do a job and that involves making real, tough spending decisions, not avoiding them to go home in time for Christmas," he continued. "While I would like to pass a bill that provides relief for farmers and those impacted by recent hurricanes, I cannot support a CR that does not consider our nation's growing $36 trillion debt and removes the debt ceiling, creating an open checkbook for Congress to spend more money it already doesn't have.”

What happens in Colorado if the federal government shuts down?

Pettersen's factsheet provided data on the number of Coloradans who would be furloughed by a government shutdown, among other impacts to the state. She noted that in her district, 6,796 people, including 1,290 infants and 3,4008 children, would lose access to benefits provided through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program.

She also said that 10,419 federal workers in Colorado's 7th Congressional District would be furloughed or forced to work without pay during a total government shutdown. She said the number does not include employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed or see a cut to their hours.

Pettersen also laid out impacts to the state as a whole, sharing information compiled by the House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, asserting that:

• 52,367 active duty and reserve personnel in the armed forces in Colorado would go without pay during the shutdown
• The Small Business Administration will stop processing small business loans. The agency provides $853.6 million in funding to small businesses in Colorado every year.
• 72,432 people flying through Colorado airports could see delays, safety concerns due to Transportation Safety Administration and air traffic control staffing impacts
• 87,752 people in Colorado would lose access to nutrition benefits in the Women, Infants, and Children program
• 43,634 federal workers in Colorado will be furloughed or work without pay
• The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $61.2 million in funding for farmers in Colorado annually
• 572,261 Coloradans would lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits
• 7,434,361 people who visit Colorado's national parks annually will be turned away or unable to fully access the attraction

One of the most common questions about the government shutdown is whether it would impact Social Security benefits, but recipients will continue to receive their payments as the Social Security Administration will provide limited services. That's because Social Security is considered a mandatory program.