Arizona’s Federal Workers Caught in Shutdown Standoff

The U.S. Congress is once again staring across the abyss at the American people. As I write this, the U.S. government has shut down. It became official on October 1, 2025, when Congress failed to pass a funding bill for the new fiscal year.

Both sides were deadlocked over partisan disagreements, specifically health care policies, Medicaid cuts, and expiring Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare) subsidies. The TL;DR is as follows: Democrats made demands for these inclusions, and Republicans refused. And..scene.

How is Arizona Affected by the Government Shutdown?

Thousands of civil servants across Arizona and nearly a million federal employees nationwide are hanging in the balance until an agreement can be reached. Towns like Sierra Vista rely heavily on federal employment.

Around 5,000 civilian federal employees work at or near Fort Huachuca. Thousands more live near Yuma Proving Grounds and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

Read more about living here: What It's Really Like to Live in Sierra Vista, Arizona

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Arizona Towns Face an Uncertain Future

The shutdown can feel like a slow-motion ripple across Arizona. Government workers living near these military installations aren't the only ones affected when Congress shuts off the lights. These installations are economic lifelines for thousands of federal employees, contractors, and military families.

During a shutdown, “nonessential” civilian workers are furloughed. That means they're temporarily out of work and unpaid, facing an uncertain future. The shutdown could last days or even weeks, and that affects not only the workers but also businesses on and around the installations, which also take a hit.

Even though government workers typically receive back pay when the government reopens, the uncertain future means many employees will hold onto their cash until they know when the standoff will end. The uncertainty leaves many workers and businesses in a state of limbo.

How Many Times Has the Government Shut Down?

This isn't the first time the government has shut down. Over the past 35 years, from 1990 to 2025, the U.S. federal government has shut down six times, under four different presidents.

As you can see, shutdowns have occurred across party lines and over different lengths of time. Here's a breakdown, according to Wikipedia:

This has all happened before: How Would a Government Shutdown Affect AZ?

What Services Will Continue During the Government Shutdown?

These services will continue during the government shutdown:

• Social Security Checks
• Air Traffic Control
• Postal Delivery
• Medicare (although some services may be delayed)

These services are suspended:

• Passport Processing
• FDA Inspections
• National Park Operations

Supporting Furloughed Workers in Cochise County

In Sierra Vista and the other defense-based communities in Arizona, the impact is more than financial; it’s personal. We are a tight-knit community, and we support each other however we can. Many businesses are helping where they can.

For example, the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour reached out to me today. If you're a federal employee affected by the shutdown, they're offering free tours to help support the furloughed workers.