ATLANTA — Federal workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport may have to work without pay during a government shutdown, while state agencies in Georgia are being advised to prepare for potential impacts.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot was live at the airport for Channel 2 Action News at 6:00 with how a shutdown could affect federal workers there and how it could also impact state government.
A memo from the governor’s office of budget and planning has been sent to state agencies, warning them to be ready for a possible shutdown. Meanwhile, TSA agents and air traffic controllers at the airport would still be required to work but would not receive paychecks during the shutdown.
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“Most officers are living paycheck to paycheck, so you know, one paycheck can be detrimental to an officer. That could be eviction or a car being repossessed,” said Aaron Barker, head of the local federal employees union.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has joined other Republican governors in urging Democrats to vote for the bill to prevent the shutdown, stating, “A shutdown is neither sustainable nor a responsible way to govern and the American people understand that.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock has expressed his opposition to the Republican budget proposal, saying, “I cannot and I will not support a budget that allows for catastrophic cuts to healthcare.”
Barker says he’s worried that President Donald Trump’s threat to fire some furloughed workers hangs over them like a cloud, though he believes TSA agents would be exempt.
“Absolutely, a pawn is the perfect example, you know, for federal workers. We all feel like that.
The governor’s memo emphasizes the need for state agencies to be prepared for any necessary actions to manage the shutdown at the state level if it lasts more than a short period.
The Georgia Agriculture Department announced a $500 million block grant to aid those affected by Hurricane Helene, including farmers and the timber industry, but noted that a shutdown would delay the distribution of these funds to Georgians.
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