Hidalgo Co. monitors government shutdown
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The federal government has at least been shut down for at least 28 days — making it the second longest in United States history.
Hidalgo County officials said in a release Thursday that they are “closely monitoring” the situation. In addition, they said they are assessing the potential impacts on programs that are federally funded, especially those that serve families.
The reason for the shutdown is because Congress — which comprises of Republicans and Democrats — have not agreed to a funding bill that details how spending is allocated for governmental services.
During a shutdown, non-essential federal employees and services take a major hit during this funding dilemma as they are furloughed or they work without pay.
If you’re still wondering how it affects you, if you rely on governmental programs such as the Texas Health and Human Services, taking a visit to their site will greet you with a notice about the shutdown.
Other sites like the U.S. Customs and Border Protection one has a red bar across the top stating, “Notice: Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed.”
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said that essential services are available.
“At this time, essential services remain available,” Cortez said. “We are in constant communication with our state and federal partners to make sure our residents continue to receive the assistance they need. If any changes occur, we will share updates immediately.”
The county also said that if the shutdown continues, programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, the Urban County Program, and the Community Service Agency may be affected.
“At the moment, these services remain in place,” the county said. “Hidalgo County will continue to share updates as more information as soon as it becomes available.”
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history was about 35 days back in 2018-2019.