Into its first entire week of the federal government shutdown, millions of Americans are being affected by disrupting federal services and the halt of pay.
The shutdown officially began Oct. 1 after Congress could not agree on a funding measure. During a shutdown, lawmakers continue to receive their salaries while a number of essential workers continue to work without pay.
These workers will receive back pay once the government reopens according to a law passed in 2019.
On Monday, Oct. 6 two separate measures to fund the government and end the shutdown failed in the Senate for the fifth time. Senate Republicans have been seeking Democratic support for a Housepassed measure, which would fund the government until Nov. 21. Democratics are remaining firm in the demand that a funding measure include an extension of health insurance tax credits.
So federally who is affected?
Pay is suspended for about 2 million federal workers with about 750,000 who have been furloughed. Those deemed as essential such as military service members, air traffic controllers and law enforcement agents are working without pay.
Programs such as social security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits will remain operational as long as there is existing funding. Food aid program SNAP will also keep operating as long as funding allows.
Texas is also suffering as dollars earmarked for projects are on hold and in potential jeopardy.
Lawmakers returned to their districts last year empty-handed when Congress left earmarks out of stopgap legislation used to fund the government for the current fiscal year, which ended at the end of September. Now, local governments, universities and nonprofits in the state stand to lose out on millions of dollars for infrastructure improvements, research and more if both parties in Congress are unable to resolve an impasse that has stalled the spending package that includes the earmarks.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit could miss out on the $250,000 secured by Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, to modernize the Ledbetter Light Rail Station. Amarillo could end up without the $1.75 million Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, acquired to help design a new wastewater treatment facility in the city. And the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston may lose out on $350,000 sought by Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, for facility repairs and upgrades that Nehls said could otherwise be used for youth programs.
These Texas projects are just a few of the ones lawmakers are fighting for amid the shutdown.
Most of the funding would be administered through the following agencies: Department of Housing and Urban Development: Nearly $230 million would pay for facility renovations, community centers, trail improvements and other infrastructure and community projects.
Department of Transportation: Texas lawmakers secured about $120 million for projects to bolster public transportation, highways, airports and more.
Department of Justice: About $80 million would be administered by the Justice Department for local law enforcement agencies and nonprofits.
Environmental Protection Agency: About $54 million would go toward water treatment projects and efforts to deliver clean drinking water.
Army Corps of Engineers: Nearly $50 million would pay for construction, operation and maintenance on dams, waterways and ship channels.
Department of Commerce: Universities and other research institutions in Texas would collectively receive about $42 million through the Commerce Department.
In all, the House’s package of a dozen appropriation bills contains nearly $8 billion in earmarks, with requests for Texas making up about 8% of these funds.
Out of Texas’ 37 representatives in the House, 33 asked for earmark funding, with each requester receiving money for at least one community project. Republican Reps. Pat Fallon of Sherman, Craig Goldman of Fort Worth, Chip Roy of Austin and Keith Self of McKinney were the four who skipped out on earmark requests.
On the Senate side, Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz also abstained from submitting requests for “congressionally directed spending” — the term for earmarks in the upper chamber.
Both senators have previously spoken out against earmarks and advocated to strip them from appropriations bills. Republican lawmakers previously banned the practice after they won control of Congress in 2010, but Democrats revived it in 2021.
Cornyn pushed back against the move, calling earmarks “a playground for quid pro quo” that was adding to the country’s mounting debt.
When earmarks first returned to Congress, most Texas Republicans did not request funding. Roy even led a group of 18 House Republicans in issuing a letter pledging to “take a stand against legislative bribery” by not requesting earmark money.
But in the years since 2021, the majority of Texas Republicans in the House have embraced the practice. About 75% of funds earmarked for Texas in House appropriations bills for the 2026 fiscal year were secured by Republicans, according to an analysis by The Texas Tribune.
The five Texans who are poised to rake in the most earmarked funds are all Republicans: Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie ($86.7 million for 14 projects) John Carter, R-Round Rock ($79.3 million for 13 projects) Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio ($42.6 million for 14 projects) Brian Babin, R-Woodville ($33.7 million for 10 projects) Michael McCaul, R-Austin ($30.6 million for 15 projects) (Portions of this story provided by the Texas Tribune)