Federal shutdown begins; St. Paul NPS visitor center closed, Minnesota lawmakers react
The federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding deal, prompting immediate operational impacts including the National Park Service’s Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul closing its doors. Minnesota lawmakers — including Rep. Tom Emmer and Sen. Tina Smith — reacted as roughly 20,000 federal employees in the state (about 35,000 including military) face potential furloughs or interrupted pay while hundreds of thousands of workers nationally are affected and many federal services are curtailed.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Timeline: The U.S. Senate failed to advance a spending bill on Sept. 19, 2025; meetings between President Trump and congressional leaders were announced Sept. 22 and held Sept. 29 with no agreement, and the federal government officially shut down overnight after the funding deadline passed on Oct. 1, 2025.
- The White House Office of Management and Budget instructed federal agencies to draft contingency plans for mass firings and threatened potential reduction‑in‑force (RIF) notices for programs whose funding expired Oct. 1, a step beyond congressional negotiations.
- Legislative standoff: House Republicans proposed a short‑term funding bill through Nov. 21 while Democrats demanded reversing Medicaid cuts and extending ACA premium tax credits; the House was not expected to hold votes the final week, dimming prospects for a last‑minute deal.
- Immediate operational impacts: many national parks, monuments and museums closed (including the National Park Service's Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul); the IRS scaled back processing and assistance; some HHS programs and environmental/food inspections were reduced.
- Staffing and pay effects: hundreds of thousands of federal employees are likely to be furloughed (reporting cites roughly 750,000 nationally and historical figures up to about 850,000); Minnesota has roughly 20,000 federal employees (about 35,000 including military). Many federal workers are required to keep working but could face interrupted paychecks; TSA and active‑duty military continue operating but may not be paid until funding is restored.
- Furloughed employees are guaranteed back pay under a 2019 law, but immediate paycheck interruptions and the OMB's contingency notices raised additional concern about job security and program continuity.
- Economic and state context: coverage cited the CBO’s $11 billion cost for the 2018–19 shutdown (about $2.2 billion per week) to frame economic scale; Minnesota officials including Rep. Tom Emmer and Sen. Tina Smith commented on impacts, and Minnesota Farmers Union official Gary Wertish warned of farm‑level effects.
📍 Contextual Background
- A 2019 law requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay after a government shutdown ends.
- Essential federal functions generally continue during a shutdown, including border protection, law enforcement, air traffic control and power grid maintenance.
- Programs such as Social Security and Medicare are not terminated by a government shutdown, though new applications and some services may experience delays.
📰 Sources (10)
Minnesota impact: Government shutdown politics and economics
New information:
- National Park Service closed the Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul as operations went dark due to the shutdown.
- The FOX 9 report cites roughly 750,000 federal employees being furloughed nationally (context for Minnesota impact).
- The story uses the CBO's $11 billion cost for the 2018–19 shutdown and frames that as about $2.2 billion per week, giving an immediate economic scale.
- Direct quotes from Minnesota officials: Rep. Tom Emmer and Sen. Tina Smith, and a quote from Minnesota Farmers Union official Gary Wertish about farm-level impacts.
Federal shutdown could affect thousands of Minnesota workers
New information:
- Minnesota is home to roughly 20,000 federal employees; the total rises to about 35,000 if military personnel are included.
- Many Minnesota federal workers will be expected to continue working during the shutdown but could face interrupted paychecks.
- The article is Minnesota-focused, providing state-level context and counts not present in the broader national coverage.
Government shutdown starts: Here's what closes during a shutdown
New information:
- The federal government officially shut down overnight after the funding deadline passed (shutdown now in effect).
- Immediate operational impacts: national parks, monuments and many museums will close; IRS will scale back processing and assistance; some HHS programs and environmental/food inspections will scale back.
- Staffing/benefits details: hundreds of thousands of federal employees are likely to be furloughed (historically up to ~850,000); Social Security and Medicare continue but may experience delays; TSA and military remain working but may not be paid until funding is restored; USPS is not affected as an independent entity.
- Cited sources and context: reporting cites the Office of Management and Budget, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and notes a 2019 law requiring furloughed employees eventually receive back pay.
Government Shutdown 2025: What could be affected and when could it start?
New information:
- Republicans are proposing a short-term funding bill through Nov. 21; Democrats seek reversing Medicaid cuts and extending ACA premium tax credits.
- House is not expected to hold any votes this week, dimming chances for a last-minute deal.
- Clarifies which services continue: Social Security and Medicare continue, VA health care and burials proceed, and USPS is unaffected.
- Confirms furloughed federal employees are guaranteed back pay under a 2019 law.
- Details that OMB has threatened potential reduction-in-force notices for programs whose funding expires Oct. 1 and lack alternatives.
‘We’re headed to a shutdown’: White House meeting ends with no deal as deadline nears
New information:
- After a Sept. 29, 2025 White House meeting with congressional leaders, no agreement was reached to avert a federal shutdown.
- Participants signaled pessimism about averting a shutdown, summarized by the post‑meeting quote 'We’re headed to a shutdown.'
- This is the first official readout of the Sept. 29 leaders’ meeting outcome, following earlier scheduling of the meeting.
Government shutdown draws closer as congressional leaders head to the White House
New information:
- Top congressional leaders are heading to the White House on September 29 for talks with President Trump as a possible shutdown nears.
- The article frames the shutdown risk as escalating immediately ahead of the federal funding deadline.
White House budget office tells agencies to draft mass firing plans ahead of potential shutdown
New information:
- The White House Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to draft plans for mass firings ahead of a potential government shutdown.
- The directive represents an executive-branch contingency action beyond congressional negotiations previously reported.
- Reported Sept. 25, 2025, as shutdown risk persists.
Trump to meet with Schumer and Jeffries as government shutdown risk looms
New information:
- President Donald Trump will meet with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss averting a government shutdown.
- The meeting was announced September 22, 2025, as the shutdown deadline approaches.
Chance of government shutdown rises as US Senate fails to advance spending bill
New information:
- The U.S. Senate failed to advance a spending bill on September 19, 2025.
- This action increases the likelihood of a partial federal government shutdown absent further congressional action.