Warner to US House Republicans: ‘You’re playing with people’s lives’

Virginia US Sen. Mark Warner says a government shutdown would impact Virginia more than any other state.

As Republicans push the federal government to the brink of a shutdown, Virginians are bracing for the impact.

There are about 140,000 federal workers in Virginia and scores of workers employed by government contractors in the state. If House Republicans refuse to back any plan to keep the government running, then those federal workers, including members of the military and reservists, would miss out on paychecks. 

Federal workers deemed “essential” like TSA employees and air traffic controllers must keep working during a government shutdown without pay, but can get back pay once a funding deal is reached. Meanwhile, “non-essential” federal workers are typically furloughed and don’t work during the shutdown, but are also guaranteed back pay once the shutdown ends. 

The ripple effect would go far beyond those workers. Federal spending accounts for one third of Virginia’s economy, according to studies cited by The Washington Post.

Virginia US Sen. Mark Warner said Virginia would feel the ramifications of a government shutdown at an “unprecedented level” and that Virginia would get hit harder by a government shutdown than any other state.  

Warner also cited concerns about getting federal disaster relief to areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in southwest Virginia, airport security workers and air traffic controllers working without pay, and the impact of national parks in Virginia shutting down on surrounding businesses. 

“I can’t think of a more cruel, heartless, stupid maneuver a few days before Christmas,” Warner said in a video call with reporters on Friday. “You’re playing with people’s lives.” 

Warner worried the chaos unfolding in Washington as a result of the social media pronouncements of billionaire Elon Musk, along with impotent Republican leadership in Congress, is a preview of what’s in store when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. 

“You’ve got the most inept Keystone Cops, Republican House leadership that couldn’t do a one-car funeral, as opposed to putting the bill up – basically saw that deal completely unravel when the richest man in the world started tweeting out just plain untruths about what’s in the deal,” Warner said.