What's Affected Locally By The Federal Government Shutdown

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's official, the federal government is partially shut down Tuesday morning for the first time in 17 years. This comes after the Senate rejected a House bill to fund the government.

The shutdown will have an effect on about 18,000 federal workers here in Minnesota. Many of them will be furloughed. Some Government services will also be disrupted.

Among those affected the most is the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. The building houses the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security and various agencies within the Department of Defense.

Federal employees will report to work on Tuesday no matter what. Others find out if they are essential. If not, they go home. Some others stay, but they won't be paid right now for their work.

Some TSA workers may be furloughed on Tuesday.  The air traffic control towers will stay open. If you need a passport, visa or a federal loan to buy a house, you'll have to wait. All National parks in Minnesota will also be closed. Federal highway contracts will put on hold.

You'll still get mail, social security check, and Medicare. The union representing 18,000 Minnesota federal employees is predicting service disruptions.

"The employees are all supposed to show up, come into work and find out if they are deemed essential or non-essential and if they are deemed non-essential they'll be sent home. And if they are deemed essential, they'll work without pay," said Janye Nygaard with the American Federation of Government Employees.

Members of the military and members of Congress will be paid throughout the shutdown. One of the reasons congress couldn't agree on a budget was to stall the Affordable Care Act.

But that is still on track? Officials said it is, and healthcare exchanges like MNSure here in Minnesota will take effect Tuesday.