Government Shutdown Update: ABA in Action
With no new movement on negotiations amongst both Houses of Congress for a short-term solution (through November 21) to the federal funding impasse, following the lapse of federal appropriations, ABA has joined with other advocates calling for an end to the government shutdown and highlighting the impacts on the motorcoach travel and tourism industry and affiliated small family businesses supporting our $90 billion industry throughout North America. As of today, the shutdown is expected to last into next week.
Click here to view ABA’s letter to Congressional Leadership
What’s New?
While the lapse in federal funding lingers, Federal Agencies and Departments each have their own operational procedures during a shutdown, and they have issued guidance about what to expect as the money runs out. Several agencies continue to function at nearly full capacity as they draw support from funding other than the annual appropriations. Still others have only enough carry over funding from prior years to keep essential functions going till Monday without much disruption.
View the compiled plans for key agencies impacting the group travel industry below:
US Department of Transportation (DOT)
Primarily drawing funding from the Highway Trust Fund powered by gas tax receipts, US DOT has been minimally impacted by the shutdown. FMCSA continues to perform its enforcement activities. FTA grant recipients continue to provide mass transit services. The FAA continues to coordinate air traffic control functions. FHWA continues to perform highway safety oversight, although funding for some projects has been halted. However, as the shutdown lingers, additional grant disbursements could be reduced or slow down, new contracting or grant opportunities put on hold, some regulatory reviews re-prioritized, communications and outreach campaigns re-positioned and rule makings critical to safety halted. If there is an extended shutdown, reductions in services or elimination of contracted activities could occur.
DOT Shutdown Plan
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The vast majority of DHS employees have continued working under its “Procedures Relating to a Lapse in Appropriations” plan. But some key gaps could emerge under an extended shutdown, particularly at DHS’s lead cyber agency CISA, which has furloughed the majority of its staff. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are currently staffed at nearly full capacity. The shutdown has interrupted the disbursements and announcements for new Intercity Bus Security Grant Program recipients, and previously scheduled security exercises or vulnerability inspections have been cancelled or postponed. It remains to be seen whether the disbursement of disaster relief funding will also be halted or delayed.
DHS Shutdown Plan
US Department of the Interior (DOI)
The National Park Service (NPS) is a key agency within the Department of the Interior and continues to remain partially open during the shutdown. Open-air sites — such as park roads, outlooks, trails and some memorials — remain accessible to the public. Restrooms remain open, and trash is still being collected. Some of these key park activities are being supplemented and supported by state funds. Buildings that require staffing, such as visitor centers or sites like the Washington Monument, are closed. The NPS has said it will not issue new permits during the shutdown, either. Each park website should be visited for planned trips, as park operational plans and opening decisions are available on a case by case basis.
Update: The Smithsonian Museums and National Zoo in Washington, DC will remain open through Oct. 11 utilizing prior year funding.
DOI Shutdown Plan
US Department of Commerce (DOC)
The Department of Commerce’s shutdown plan states that the DOC will cease most services and activities of the International Trade Administration and Census Bureau as well as services and activities provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Economic Development Administration, which work on tourism marketing initiatives as well as capture key domestic and international tourism data. However, the DOC plans to continue export enforcement activities, including ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions as well as coordination with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies in furtherance of national security. It will also continue any work necessary under ongoing and new Section 232 investigations regarding the effect of imported articles.
DOC Shutdown Plan
US Department of the Treasury
Some functions of the U.S. Treasury Department have lapsed, while essential services—including core IRS and debt management activities. Work continues to implement some of the new tax policy changes from the Big Beautiful Bill. A revised operations plan will be issued on October 6 after carry over funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act is exhausted.
Treasury Shutdown Plan
US Department of Education
The majority of the staff has been furloughed. Student loan payments must still be met during this time, while the Education Department will halt new grant making activity and investigations over possible civil rights violations. Many student travel programs are supported in part by federal education grants. Some trips are continuing, but others have been suspended or postponed.
Education Shutdown Plan
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
About 89 percent of the EPA’s workforce was slated to be furloughed as part of the government shuts down, however work has largely continued utilizing carry over funding. Once that funding is exhausted, the agency will no longer carry out most civil inspections related to potential violations of environmental law. It will also no longer conduct most of its research or issue new permits or grants. Some hazardous waste cleanup will be halted if there is no imminent threat to human health and property.
EPA Shutdown Plan
Small Business Administration (SBA)
A variety of regular services have been disrupted by the shutdown. New small business loans are paused, meaning no new loans will be processed or approved during this time. Even SBA lenders with special permission to approve loans on their own, known as delegated authority, can’t issue new loans during a shutdown. This includes members of the preferred lenders program (PLP) and Express lenders. An exception applies if a loan has already been assigned an SBA loan number — either by a lender with delegated authority or by the SBA before the shutdown. In this case, the lender can move forward with disbursing funds. All activities by the Office of Advocacy have been paused. The SBA will continue to issue and service disaster loans, borrowers should expect longer processing times and assistance to be slower than normal. Loan repayments must continue to be made as scheduled, and the SBA is only accepting electronic payments at this time.
SBA Shutdown Plan
Department of Labor (DOL)
The majority of the staff has been furloughed. The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) conducts investigations and compliance actions in the areas of minimum wage, overtime, child labor safeguards, and other workplace laws, and those investigations have been halted. All immigration-related matters including labor certifications, have ceased. OSHA workplace inspections have been suspended.
DOL Shutdown Plan
ABA’s Message and Action
ABA is strongly urging bipartisan cooperation to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government. We are emphasizing that the motorcoach and group travel industry is an essential part of the nation’s transportation and tourism economy—and that the consequences of a shutdown would be severe.
Our plan includes:
- Direct outreach to the Administration and Congressional leaders about the economic and societal consequences of a shutdown on our industry and the communities we serve.
- Preparing formal communications to key agencies—as well as appropriators—outlining the impacts on motorcoach operators, tour companies, and group travel businesses.
- Engaging with the press to highlight real-world stories from ABA members about what’s at risk if the government shuts down.
How Members Can Help
We encourage you to share with us how a shutdown would impact your business and employees. Real-world stories from ABA members are crucial in demonstrating to policymakers what’s at stake.
ABA is committed to ensuring your voices are heard and to pushing for a bipartisan solution that prevents the devastating impacts of a shutdown on our industry and the millions of travelers and passengers we serve each year.
