Local veterans worry about benefits ahead of possible government shutdown, lawmakers respond
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The country is counting down the days until a possible government shutdown that would have a huge impact on hundreds of thousands of federal workers and those who benefit from federal services.
Namely, veterans are watching the talks in DC closely as a shutdown could bring their benefits that they rely on to a delay or standstill.
“Until that time that they pass it or not, everybody’s in limbo,” says Roger Barclay, Quartermaster at the VFW Post 9820 in South Bend.
Barclay is keeping a close eye on the October 1st deadline to see if the federal government will go into a temporary shutdown, as DC lawmakers scramble to make an agreement on the congressional budget.
He wants to see a balanced budget, but not at the expense of services veterans at VFW Post 9820 in South Bend and millions of Americans across the country rely on.
“There should be this opportunity to pass some emergency government funding and keep government open while we are working on the appropriations bills,” assures Representative Bill Huizenga, serving Michigan’s 4th Congressional District.
Huizenga believes Congress can pass several stopgap bills to keep the government running even without a full budget, as veterans like Barclay have questioned whether their health care and financial services benefits will be affected like in previous shutdowns.
“They depend on that every day for their healthcare; the VA centers, the hospitals. If they shut it down, someone’s gotta pay for it,” Barclay admits.
Members of Congress, including Indiana's Rudy Yakym, are trying to calm constituents saying benefits should remain steadfast, telling ABC7 in a statement:
“It is important for Hoosiers to know that even in the event of a temporary government shutdown that essential government services will continue uninterrupted, Social Security checks will still go out, and veterans will continue to receive the VA pension and disability benefits that they have earned,” Congressman Yakym writes.”
Although, limited staffing at VA's could potentially postpone those services, according to disabledveterans.org.
Lawmakers say they’re looking at the shutdown as a worst-case scenario and so are veterans like Barclay.
“We can do both, should do both meaning keeping government open and also have real reform on our spending,” says Representative Huizenga.
“We served our time, we do our process, we should get everything across the board regardless,” Barclay says.
The Walorski VA Clinic in Mishawaka did not respond to ABC57’s request on how services might be impacted in time for this story.