Bay Area braces for possible government shutdown Sunday

The Bay Area is preparing for the possibility of a government shutdown.

Republicans hold the majority in the House, but failed to reach a consensus on a temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown Sunday, leaving just one day to try and craft a compromise between moderate Republicans and a handful of holdouts who won't accept the Senate's bipartisan bill.

South Bay Congressional Representative Anna Eshoo says House members received a message Friday night.

"The majority leader Scalise put out a message a little while ago that we would be in session tomorrow but without any legislative schedule," said Rep. Eshoo, "The Senate has a very reasonable bill, it is bipartisan. It could come to us by Sunday or Monday...it would be up to the Speaker McCarthy to allow that legislation to come to the floor to be voted on."

Rep. Eshoo says she worries about federal workers throughout the Bay Area facing a stressful weekend of uncertainty.

"The airport, TSA, the air traffic controllers," said Rep. Eshoo, "I depend on them for my safety. We all do. And what's sad about this is there are so many people required to work, but they will not be paid."

In the Bay Area, that could include federal workers at passport offices, members of the United States Coast Guard, workers at NASA Ames Research Center, as well as federal sites such as Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods and other national parks.

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"We remain hopeful that a lapse in government funding will not occur...we are reviewing the NPS contingency plan and working to determine specifics at Golden Gate NRA, Fort Point NHS, and Muir Woods NM," said National Parks Service California Division spokesperson Julian Espinoza said in a statement Friday.

Also in jeopardy, is San Francisco's Fleet Week which is scheduled to start next Monday.

Lewis Loeven, Executive Director of the SF Fleet Week Association says the air show will go on with civilian groups, however other activities such as tours of Navy ships and popular Blue Angels performances are up in the air.

"The Blue Angels are poised to come. They haven't packed up their jets and gone home," said Loeven, "All the military is going to be poised to inject into Fleet Week wherever they can. So if there's no shutdown great. If it takes two days and things come up again the military is going to be ready to jump back into Fleet Week."

Fleet Week organizers say along with federal employees facing furloughs, San Francisco's small businesses would be hurt by a government shutdown.

"For us it's very frustrating because we look at Fleet Week as a huge economic boost for the city," said Loeven. 
 

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