September 25, 2025
By Laura Beltrán Figueroa
A government shutdown in Pennsylvania could lead to significant disruptions in both federal services and state-level programs. Many federal employees across the state could face furloughs or be forced to work without pay. Pennsylvania employs about 66,656 federal civilian workers as of 2024, including staff in the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Food Safety and Inspection Service, and in the National Park Service—potentially affecting food safety, agricultural oversight, and public health.[1]
Table 1: Estimated Federal Civilian Employment by Congressional District, 2024
| Pennsylvania, District 1 | 5,353 | 1,213 | 1.31% |
| Pennsylvania, District 2 | 11,872 | 2,840 | 3.39% |
| Pennsylvania, District 3 | 12,154 | 3,560 | 3.03% |
| Pennsylvania, District 4 | 8,800 | 2,262 | 2.11% |
| Pennsylvania, District 5 | 8,144 | 1,878 | 2.12% |
| Pennsylvania, District 6 | 7,411 | 2,010 | 1.83% |
| Pennsylvania, District 7 | 5,180 | 1,315 | 1.30% |
| Pennsylvania, District 8 | 9,979 | 1,632 | 2.76% |
| Pennsylvania, District 9 | 7,831 | 1,483 | 2.15% |
| Pennsylvania, District 10 | 11,783 | 1,637 | 2.92% |
| Pennsylvania, District 11 | 6,309 | 1,208 | 1.58% |
| Pennsylvania, District 12 | 9,678 | 1,546 | 2.47% |
| Pennsylvania, District 13 | 10,401 | 1,733 | 2.81% |
| Pennsylvania, District 14 | 5,145 | 1,159 | 1.46% |
| Pennsylvania, District 15 | 5,287 | 802 | 1.51% |
| Pennsylvania, District 16 | 9,176 | 1,421 | 2.57% |
| Pennsylvania, District 17 | 7,558 | 1,647 | 1.94% |
Source: Congressional Research Service, Current Federal Civilian Employment by State and Congressional District, CRS Product No. R47716, Library of Congress, accessed September 22, 2025, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R4771.
Beyond furloughs and lost wages for federal employees, a shutdown would strain critical services and ripple through the broader economy. Transportation Security Administration staff and air traffic controllers, deemed essential, would be required to work without pay, creating staffing shortages and possible flight delays at Pennsylvania’s major airports, including Philadelphia International and Pittsburgh International. Public access to federal parks and historic sites—such as Independence National Historical Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Valley Forge—could be curtailed or suspended entirely, reducing tourism revenue for nearby communities. Federal funding streams that support programs like Head Start and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program may experience delays in reimbursements to state agencies, jeopardizing benefits for thousands of low-income families. Research grants and contracts at Pennsylvania’s universities and hospitals could also be paused, interrupting scientific studies and medical trials. Social services providers, already coping with revenue losses from the General Assembly’s failure to enact a state budget, would face an additional blow as federal support is reduced or delayed.
Combined with this lack of a state budget, a federal government shutdown would not only disrupt the lives of those directly employed by the federal government but also weaken local economies, hinder essential social services, and erode public confidence in the stability of both state and federal institutions. The cascading effects—delayed benefits, slowed air travel, and halted research—highlight how a lapse in federal funding reverberates far beyond Washington, D.C., touching nearly every community across the Commonwealth.
[1]. Congressional Research Service, Current Federal Civilian Employment by State and Congressional District, CRS Product No. R47716, Library of Congress, accessed September 22, 2025, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R4771.