Groton Reacts to the Government Shutdown

Yesterday we adjusted to the fact that our government of all things has shut down due to partisan disagreement on a bill to fund running the Federal government as we know it. Almost all agencies in the federal government will be affected, which has a significant impact on our friends, family and neighbors here in Groton. 

A report in The Day states that nearly 1,300 employees of the U.S. Naval Submarine Base and the Connecticut National Guard facilities were furloughed Tuesday.

Groton Patch users responded via Facebook and overwhelmingly wrote that the shutdown will not be a walk in the park.

Karen Royce wrote, “My husband would be out of work.. No pay for an unknown amount of time... Mortgage, bills, will all be due and no $ to pay them with..” 

Tracy Long- Giroux  agreed and Christy Rose wrote, “I will be out of work....no pay!!” 

After the last shutdown, Congress decided to pay furloughed employees retroactively for unpaid wages during the shutdown. Whether they do that this time is entirely up to them. 

Your Congressman (U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd) is getting paid throughout the shutdown so you can write to him and let him know how you feel. Other than that, we’ll just have to wait for them to work things out as we have 17 times before. 

The Washington Post reports that, “Since 1976, there have been 17 different government shutdowns. The longest came in 1995-'96 and lasted 21 days, as Bill Clinton wrangled with congressional Republicans over budget matters.

But there were also six shutdowns in the 1970s, all lasting longer than eight days, and there was even a one-day shutdown in 1982 when Congress couldn't agree on funding for Nicaraguan Contras."