Federal disaster operations and weather forecasting would likely continue even if the government shuts down this week.
Roughly 85 percent of 25,000 federal disaster employees are exempt from furloughs, according to a Sept. 19 memo from the Department of Homeland Security. And the National Weather Service told POLITICO’s E&E News that it would continue to issue warnings and watches even if Congress does not approve spending legislation by the end of the fiscal year at midnight Tuesday.
The looming shutdown comes as Tropical Storm Imelda approaches the East Coast and DHS’ Federal Emergency Management Agency deploys emergency workers to the Carolinas.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Monday with congressional leaders to try to reach a budget deal. The White House has threatened mass federal firings — rather than the usual short-term furloughs — if the government shuts down, in an apparent bid to pressure Democrats to agree to Republican stopgap legislation.
