The failure of Congress to pass a spending agreement means the United States government is shut down — and that impacts jobs far outside Washington, D.C.
More than 25,000 people in the St. Louis metropolitan area are federal employees, according to Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data. That figure doesn’t include those whose jobs are dependent on the operation of the federal government, such as contractors or local businesses.
Here’s what we know right now about how some entities in the St. Louis area are being affected by the government shutdown.
If you have a question or a story about how the funding lapse will impact our community, send us an email.
Attractions
The Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis are temporarily closed, with National Park Service work largely on hold.
Some areas and attractions around the Arch, including the riverboats and helicopter tours, will remain open because they are operated by Bi-State Development, not the National Parks Service. The grounds around the Arch will also remain accessible for visitors.
Those with reservations or advance tickets impacted by the shutdown can email info@gatewayarch.com or call 1-877-982-1410 for questions about refunds.
The Arch and Old Courthouse also closed during previous government shutdowns in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
Government offices
The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency is closed to all nonexempt employees. That includes the NGA West Campus in Soulard. The agency specializes in national security and geospatial data and employs more than 3,000 people locally.
About 15,000 people work at Scott Air Force Base in the Metro East, including active duty military, civilians and contractors. The base’s website states that it is not being updated due to the shutdown.
Most Transportation Command staff, including some 900 civilians in the Metro East, are not among those furloughed during the government shutdown. The combat command headquartered at the base is funded by what’s called a “working capital fund,” which is designed to insulate it from fiscal year appropriations and allow for flexibility during a military emergency.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of government shutdown will stop the mail couriers: The United States Postal Service will continue as usual, operating offices and delivering mail. The agency is independently funded by the sale of its products and services, and is thus not affected by the lapse in the Congressional budget.
Social services
Families enrolled in the Missouri WIC program — which provides supplemental food, nutrition education and support to low-income women and children — will not be immediately impacted by the shutdown. The organization is telling households to continue attending appointments and shopping with their WIC cards until further notice. However, NPR reports that advocates worry that nutrition assistance might feel the squeeze sooner than other entities if the funding lapse is protracted.
The deadline has passed for St. Louisans impacted by the May 16 tornado to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency individual assistance, and the community help centers have closed. Residents are encouraged to stay in touch with the organization with any questions about their application status. As of Thursday morning, calls to the local FEMA helpline (1-800-621-3362) are still being answered. The organization does warn on its website that the lapse in federal funding could delay transactions and response times.
The Department of Veterans Affairs operates two medical centers in the St. Louis metro: the St. Louis VA Medical Center-Jefferson Barracks and the John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital on North Grand Boulevard. The facilities remain open, according to the VA's website, with all appointments and services continuing as usual. The local health system provides care more than 65,000 veterans each year, according to the VA.
Social Security payments will continue during the shutdown. Offices are expected to remain open. The agency is encouraging people to work to resolve their individual situations online, though local offices will be open for some services, listed on the Social Security website.
Transportation
The air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents at Lambert St. Louis International Airport are in an essential class of federal employees who are called to do their jobs even during a shutdown — without a paycheck.
Local employees described financial strains and considered participating in industry-wide “sick-outs” during the 2019 shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.
This story has been updated.
