ST. LOUIS — The Gateway Arch museum and tram and the Old Courthouse downtown could close if the federal government shuts down at the end of the day.
The federal sites, led by the National Park Service, closed during previous shutdowns in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
An NPS spokesperson declined to comment about the potential shutdown.
Otherwise, local impacts of the shutdown that is expected to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday if Congress cannot come to a last-minute agreement on continuing funding remain unclear.
According to figures from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, about 25,000 people are employed by the federal government in the St. Louis metropolitan area. How many of those are not subject to a furlough under a shutdown was unknown Tuesday. Federal departments and agencies are responsible for letting the public know which services would be affected, but many have yet to do so.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer’s office said the city receives significant federal funding but should be able to operate “without major issues unless a shutdown continues for an extended period of time.”
“We are in touch with our federal partners on a frequent basis and are closely monitoring the situation, but details about what may happen remain uncertain,” said Rasmus Jorgensen, a spokesperson for the mayor, in a statement.
Earlier this year, the city assessed its existing federal funds. If a shutdown happens, “having done this homework will allow us to assess the situation quickly,” Jorgensen said.
St. Louis Development Corp., the city’s economic development agency, said a shutdown potentially could affect federally funded transportation or environmental programs, but the exact impact is not clear.
The St. Louis County Housing Authority does not expect a shutdown to have any immediate effects if it happens.
“We are not a federal entity, although we do receive federal funding,” authority spokesperson Jennifer Wiegert said. “So, in the event of a shutdown, we do not anticipate an immediate impact on our ability to serve our residents.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has offices in St. Louis, said the department “is prepared for all contingencies regarding department operations, including critical services and supports.”
Republicans in Congress have crafted a short-term measure to fund the government through Nov. 21, but Democrats have insisted the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s mega-bill passed this summer and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. Republicans call the Democratic proposal a nonstarter.
Neither side shows any signs of budging, with the House not even expected to hold votes this week.
When the federal government shuts down, the law requires agencies to cease activity and furlough “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees include those who work to protect life and property. They stay on the job but do not get paid until after the shutdown ends.
Meanwhile, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget has threatened the mass firing of federal workers in a shutdown. An OMB memo said those programs that did not get funding through President Donald Trump’s mega-bill this summer would bear the brunt of a shutdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Kelsey Landis | Post-Dispatch
St. Louis County government reporter
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today
Steph Kukuljan | Post-Dispatch
Real estate and development
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today
Kurt Erickson | Post-Dispatch
Jefferson City reporter
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today