Congress faces a tight deadline to reach a stopgap agreement on spending and avoid a government shutdown by the end of the day on Friday.

House Republicans reached a new deal Thursday afternoon on a continuing resolution sponsored by President-elect Donald Trump and expect to talk about it later in the evening.

Trump said he agreed to the new deal in a Truth Social post.

“All Republicans and even Democrats should do what is best for our country and vote ‘YES’ on this bill TONIGHT!” Trump wrote.

The new CR would extend the country’s debt limit until January 30, 2027. The Treasury Department can currently continue to borrow money until January 1, 2025, but often relies on extraordinary measures to continue paying the federal government’s obligations for months after that deadline.

House Democrats reached a bipartisan agreement on Wednesday on a CR that would maintain current funding levels through March 14, 2025. But Trump rejected that plan and directed Republicans in Congress to push for a deal that also raised the country’s debt limit.

Regardless of whether lawmakers reach an agreement before midnight Friday, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told reporters Thursday afternoon that the looming threat of a government shutdown has already pulled some federal employees away from their daily duties to prepare for one Financing failure.

“People stop doing their normal job and start going through a checklist of how to complete this part and that part and who is considered essential personnel who can still come in without pay but get in anyway. So you’re already wasting money,” Warner said.

The Office of Management and Management reached out to agencies last Friday about scheduling. An OMB official said the agencies reached out to staff starting at 10 a.m. Thursday morning to check on the status of the funding.

“As you get closer to this process and shutdown, the number of activities increases and the number of people who have to leave their normal air traffic control or inspection jobs to prepare for a shutdown increases,” Warner said.

Because of its high concentration of federal employees and government contractors, Virginia has been hit harder by government shutdowns than most states.

Federal employees will receive back pay once a government shutdown ends, but employees of government contractors don’t have the same guarantee.

“It’s like a kick in the gut,” Warner said. “All private sector government contractors will not be paid.”

Warner said a government shutdown would have a detrimental impact on the American public — particularly those traveling during the holiday season.

“Many of you may be asking yourself, ‘Why do I really care if the federal government shuts down?’ If you board a plane and visit a loved one any time after Friday, be aware that your TSA agents will not be paid. Your air traffic controllers don’t get paid. Some of them may call in sick. “There will be chaos at our airports that I think could be unprecedented,” Warner said.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske posted on X (formerly Twitter) that 59,000 of the agency’s 62,000 employees are considered essential and would continue to work during a government shutdown.

Pekoske wrote that the TSA expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2, 2025.

“While our staff is prepared to handle high travel volumes and ensure safe travel, please note that an extended closure could result in longer wait times at airports,” Pekoske wrote.

A data analysis conducted by the Federal News Network in September 2023 found that approximately 65% ​​of the total federal civilian workforce would continue to work even in a government shutdown, based on government emergency plans available at the time.

Agencies routinely update their emergency plans ahead of a possible closure. However, some agencies have not updated their emergency plans since 2020 or 2021, making it difficult to determine exactly how many federal employees would continue to report to work during a funding shortfall.

Last year’s Federal News Network analysis found that 1.5 million civilian federal employees — out of a total workforce of 2.3 million — would continue to work as “exempt” or “exempt” personnel.

“Exempt” employees work in positions funded by a funding source other than annual appropriations. They would not be affected by a loss of funds – at least until alternative sources of financing are exhausted.

“Exempt” employees are paid from annual appropriations, but their agency has determined that they must keep their jobs even if funds are not available to pay them.

Warner also emphasized the need for a comprehensive spending agreement for the remainder of fiscal year 2025. He said the ongoing resolutions continue to “drive up costs” for contractors who cannot begin work on next year’s contracts.

“There were so many ship repair companies that I met earlier this week. Because of the CR they don’t get paid. Your business is now at risk. They have to put their house up as collateral for the bank,” Warner said. “You have a shutdown, how many of these companies are just going to say, ‘Okay, I have to lay off my workforce, or maybe I have to close down because this is just too crazy?'”

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