Funding for the federal government expired just before midnight on Tuesday night after lawmakers failed to pass a resolution to fund the government.
Work at federal agencies across the country will be impacted by the shutdown, including the Hamilton-based Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML). No exact figures have been given as to the number of RML employees furloughed due to the shutdown at this time, but Marshall Bloom, associate director for science management at RML told the Ravalli Republic only a “skeleton crew” would remain.
RML is a remote campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland and falls under the umbrella of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS expects more than 32,000 (41%) of the nearly 80,000 staff to be furloughed during the shutdown, according to the agency’s 2026 Contingency Staffing Plan.
The furloughs come after around a dozen people at the Hamilton Lab lost their jobs during federal layoffs in February, while others at the lab have opted for early retirement amid federal staffing changes.
“Certain federal government activities have ceased due to a lack of appropriated funding,” Bloom said. “In the absence of either a Fiscal Year 2026 appropriation or a Continuing Resolution for the Department of Health and Human Services, only activities related to the orderly suspension of HHS operations or performance of excepted activities is permitted.”
Department of Health and Human Services operations slated to halt due to the shutdown include oversight of research contracts and grants, the ability to process FOIA requests or public inquiries, data collection, validation and analysis. Centers for Disease Control communication to the public about health-related information will be hampered, CMS will be unable to provide oversight to major contractors, and NIH will not have the ability to admit new patients to the Clinical Center, except for whom it is medically necessary.
Functions expected to continue include responding to outbreaks related to foodborne illness, pandemics and flu. HHS will also continue activities necessary to protect human life and government property.
“Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will maintain the minimal readiness for all hazards, including pandemic flu and hurricane responses. Moreover, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will continue research and clinical activities necessary for the protection of human life or government property, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will continue exempt activities to support drug and medical device reviews. HHS will also rely on exceptions in the Anti-deficiency Act (ADA) to continue other activities protecting human life and property, such as monitoring for disease outbreaks conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” the plan states.
President Donald Trump told NBC News on Sunday that “we are going to cut a lot of the people that … we’re able to cut on a permanent basis” if the government shuts down, while Vice President JD Vance added, “we are going to have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues,” during a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Oct. 1. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she expected layoffs to begin “very soon,” possibly within “two days,” at the briefing on Wednesday.
RML employs about 500 people in the Bitterroot Valley, including world-renowned scientists from across the globe working to eliminate deadly infectious diseases. Scientists at the Hamilton lab were some of the frontline researchers focused on COVID-19 early in the pandemic and research conducted at RML was integral in the development of anti-viral drug remdesivir.
While RML is best known for its research into vector-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, and Lyme disease, scientists at the Hamilton Lab have also contributed to breakthroughs in the fight against Sudan virus (one of four viruses known to cause human Ebola disease), MERS, salmonella, SARS and neuro-degenerative brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The most recent previous government shutdown occurred the Trump administration in December of 2018, lasting 34 days.
Federal lawmakers will continue to be paid during the shutdown.
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