The Smithsonian museums would stand empty and the Cherry Blossom Festival wouldn’t be festive at all, but a looming federal government shutdown would affect daily life in the Washington area beyond tourist attractions. About 800,000 federal employees — many of whom reside in the D.C. area — would be furloughed, a senior administration official said Wednesday. In Fairfax County alone, the federal government employs nearly 14 percent of working residents.
| Tourists may not be the only ones in the D.C. area thwarted by a federal government shutdown. Here’s a list of a few things that could affect the 5 million people who call the capital region home. |
| The National Park Service would close all of its sites and cancel all events. |
| The Cherry Blossom Parade and the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival would not take place. |
| The Internal Revenue Service would not process paper tax filings. |
| The Federal Housing Aadministration would not guarantee home loans. |
| The George Washington Parkway Classic 10-miler and 5k scheduled for April 10 would be postponed until May 1. |
Federal employees would maintain health care benefits, but their pay would be withheld until Congress and the president finally produce a budget to cover the remaining six months of the current fiscal year or approve another short-term funding measure.
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