BOISE, Idaho — With the federal government shutdown underway, Idahoans are left wondering how long it could last and what it will mean for their daily lives.
Idaho Republican Congressman Russ Fulcher said what is usually a routine bill to keep the government funded has stalled, with the House and Senate blaming each other.
WATCH: Idaho lawmaker warns shutdown could soon impact veteran and federal service —
“This is a continuing resolution fight… but in this case, truly, it has turned into a partisan battle,” Fulcher said.
Fulcher argued that the Senate’s counterproposal included provisions he calls unacceptable.
“That counter proposal does, in fact, include the provision of taxpayer-funded health care for non-citizens,” Fulcher said. "And that’s a big, big non-starter… and so they voted no, and they continue to vote no. And that’s why we have the shutdown that we do."
Fulcher said Idahoans may not feel the effects immediately, but more people will be impacted as the shutdown continues — including veterans.
“So far, it hasn’t really hard yet,” Fulcher said. "But the situation is if you’re concerned about Social Security and Medicare, those are categories of mandatory spending, and that should not be impacted. Where you will see impacts is a lot of the agency services and veteran services. Some of that is going to be impacted, and that will not be very long before that does."
Fulcher was also asked about politically charged notices showing up on some government websites, including the Department of Agriculture and the National Park Service, blaming the “radical left” for the shutdown.
“I’m not familiar with that,” Fulcher said. "But if you’re a recipient of some of these services, frankly, you don’t really care why in some cases… You just are upset that your services aren’t coming through."
Fulcher said his offices in Idaho and Washington, D.C., remain open to help constituents navigate the uncertainty. He warned that the longer paychecks are delayed, the more pressure will build.
Fulcher said the best-case scenario is a short-term deal to keep the government running until Nov. 21. If that doesn’t happen, he said, the impacts on military families, federal workers and benefits programs will grow — and Idahoans could feel them close to home.
