Government Shutdown Means Local Soldiers' Paychecks In Jeopardy
SWAMPSCOTT (CBS) - Dan Barthel is anxious for his son Andrew to come home this weekend after a tour with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf. He even asked Swampscott to put out a flashing "welcome home" sign.
At 21 years old, Andrew has already earned a number of ribbons while serving his country for nine months.
WBZ-TV's Diana Perez reports
But with a government shut down looming, his hard-earned paycheck could be in jeopardy. "These kids are out fighting for us," says Andrew's father Dan. "That's why we can stand here without dodging bullets and now they don't draw a check? I mean that's not okay."
A weeklong shutdown would slice military paychecks in half, if it extends to the end of the month they could disappear.
The money will be paid back to service men and women retroactively when the shutdown is over, but waiting isn't an option for Andrew, who lives paycheck to paycheck.
"You try to do the best you can," says Dan. "You go through life telling your kids that everything is okay but what can one say when the government's going to shut down?"
Also in paycheck limbo are some Massachusetts and New Hampshire's 55,000 federal employees.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports on how the shutdown would affect women seeking care from Planned Parenthood
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One of them, who asked to not be identified, works at the JFK Federal Building in Boston and calls the entire situation unfair. "I think it's selfish of certain parties," she says. "It's not about the people. It's pretty much just all politics."
She was told the some of her co-workers may have a furlough day on Thursday if the shutdown happens.
