(Host) Congressman Peter Welch says he’s optimistic that a compromise will emerge today to avoid a shutdown of the federal government.
(Welch) "Just because that’s my hope. Where there is a will there is a way. And frankly, the divide between us is literally so small. A couple billion dollars, which is a lot of money, but in the context of a more than trillion dollar budget, very small, you know that can be bridged. So if there is a shutdown, it’s going to be because somebody wants that to be the outcome."
(Host) Welch says he’s also disappointed that House budget negotiators have focused on social issues. He wants spending reductions at the Pentagon to be part of the talks.
(Host) The state’s congressional offices say at least four-thousand Vermonters work for the federal government.
But they can’t say for sure how many people would be thrown out of work if there is a shutdown.
That’s because some "essential" workers would be expected to show up for work and others wouldn’t.
For example, in the U-S attorney’s office, civil cases will be suspended on Monday if there’s a shutdown.
But criminal cases will continue, even though many of the support staff in the prosecutor’s office won’t be at work.
The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock would close. But park superintendent Rolf Diamante Diamant one worker will remain. That’s the facilities manager.
(Diamant) "We have 16 historic structures, multiple systems, HVAC and heating systems. Yeah, I mean this is Vermont. And as we know the weather can be unpredictable."