Homeland Security shutdown would have local impacts

By KENNY WALTER
Staff Writer

SANDY HOOK — A potential federal shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security could impact Coast Guard personnel on Sandy Hook and federal stormmanagement workers.

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) said during a Feb. 18 press conference on Sandy Hook that if Congress does not extend funding to the department by the end of the month, 30,000 federal workers could be furloughed and an additional 100,000-plus would be required to work without payment.

“Some of them would show up because things like search and rescue would continue, but they wouldn’t get paid,” he said. “This is terribly disruptive to everything that we are trying to do.”

According to Pallone, the delay over extending the funding is caused by bipartisan gridlock over Republican insistence of attaching riders disallowing immigration reform to any funding package.

Pallone has co-sponsored legislation that would extend funding to the department for the next year without including any rider regarding immigration reform.

“I don’t think Homeland Security should be held hostage over differences of opinion with regard to immigration,” he said. “Basically what I’m saying is we’d like to pass a clean bill.

“We weren’t in session this week, but I would argue that we should have been in session this week to deal with this.”

With just four legislative sessions left before the Feb. 28 deadline, Pallone said he is hopeful that an accord will be reached at the end of the week.

However, he said it is also possible Congress will reach a short-term agreement to extend funding.

“I think what could happen is it ends up being short-term and we keep it going for only the next few more weeks,” he said.

If a deal is not reached, approximately 30,000 federal employees would be furloughed, Pallone said.

An additional 100,000 employees who are deemed essential would be required to work without payment.

Among those impacted would be Coast Guard military members, border patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and officers, Secret Service agents and Transportation Security Administration screeners.

According to Pallone, many in the Coast Guard may seek other employment opportunities if the shutdown is not avoided.

“How long are you going to be able to go along with that? These guys who work at the Coast Guard — how long are they going to go without getting paid?” he said. “After a period of time, how are they going to feed their families or take care of their kids?”

He also said many Coast Guard personnel stationed at Sandy Hook live offbase in neighboring towns, and the impact would be felt there, as well.

Another area that would be impacted by a shutdown would be the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“It also affects FEMA because a lot of FEMA personnel would be furloughed, and that is important to our area,” Pallone said. “All the preparedness for future storms would be shut down.

“The hurricane preparedness — that’s a long-term scenario, and if you are good at your job, you are going to say, ‘What do I need this for? I’ll go find a job somewhere else.’ ”

However, he said, FEMA workers helping homeowners navigate grant applications were deemed essential and will remain working even with a shutdown.

Pallone said some towns, including Long Branch, would be in jeopardy of losing annual grant funding for local Fire Department personnel.

“The Homeland Security just takes in so many different areas that would just be shut down by the end of the month,” he said.