Reynolds says shutdown impacts pay of roughly 1,400 state employees, Iowa National Guard
Yeah, well, first of all, if the Democrats would pass *** clean CR, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. They need to come to the table and they need to pass *** clean continuing resolution, *** continuing SCR. I think when under President Biden this number might be off, but I think 13. Different times Republicans voted for *** clean CR to move the government forward to continue to have the conversations, so the games that they're playing at the expense of Iowans and families of uh low income Iowans that need those resources are sad. It's *** sad scenario they have nothing else they need to come to the table and they need to get this passed. Uh, piggybacking off of the federal shutdown, some union leaders have asked, you know, having the news of the furloughs yesterday, uh, from the workforce development, uh, some union leaders have asked state to access emergency aid in order. Well, so I think we have about 67 staff that have been furloughed through Iowa Workforce Development. Um, they typically deal with the unemployment insurance, labor market information division. Most, um, some have completely been furloughed so they're not working, um, but, but some are working two days *** week, so, uh, you know, we don't expect, uh, any impact in the processing. We don't expect any impact on the claims, um, or issuing of payments. Beth has, uh, Director Townsend has said she doesn't see that being impacted at all or there. Ability to respond um to their customers and we'll just have to see what happens um afterwards uh sometimes they do back pay, sometimes they don't um if they're furloughed and not working I I I don't know we'll have to see what they end up doing, uh, at the federal level but again if they would pass *** clean CR then they could sit down at the table and they could start to work on the different appropriations and get and get the government funded. You mentioned that 67 uh uh workforce development. What's the total number of state employees who are or impacted, uh, who receives federal full funding or partial funding? It's about 800, is that right? OK, between the two, it's about 7 to 800, right? 700 National Guard and then close to that with the other agencies. So again, there's *** way that we could, you know, stop that. And we have 50 Republicans that have, you know, well not 50, but with 53, I think in the House and almost all of them have passed it. It takes 60 votes to get it done, so, you know, vote for *** clean CR and start having those conversations, Dave. Through your career you've been recruited um to run for Congress, and I'm curious how you view. The way you do *** budget here versus the way Congress does not really do *** budget and the fact that we've heard you say CRs like *** like I think that's yeah but it's been happening for *** long time so it like it needs to stop. I think that's what they're trying to do. They're actually trying to vote on each uh appropriation, each agency instead of bringing it all together. Doing *** lump vote they need to get back to that so that they can give uh Americans *** chance to weigh in on it and we're actually talking about each agency uh that's why like I'm staying in Iowa and I chose to run as governor instead of go out thank goodness we have people that are willing to go out there and serve. I I appreciate it. I respect them *** lot um it's just, it's just. Some, *** lot of things are out of your control out there, but they actually are trying to do that and that's why they're saying if you could just come together like the 13 times that we did under President Biden's administration so that we could continue those conversations and really put *** budget together uh instead of kicking it down the road, uh, I think the country as *** whole would be better and that's actually what they're trying to do. Thank you everyone.
Reynolds says shutdown impacts pay of roughly 1,400 state employees, Iowa National Guard
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Updated: 9:46 PM CDT Oct 21, 2025
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Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday more than 700 state employees and 700 Iowa National Guard members are not receiving pay due to the federal government shutdown.The governor answered questions on the shutdown at a news conference about the release of the Iowa DOGE task force report. News came Monday that Iowa Workforce Development furloughed 67 employees as a result of the shutdown, and some union leaders have called for the state to access emergency aid to pay for these impacted staff members’ salaries.Some of these employees have been completely furloughed while others are working two days a week, Reynolds confirmed, and stated IWD Director Beth Townsend has said the department does not anticipate impacts to processing unemployment claims or issuing unemployment payments. But she said she did not have an answer on whether there would be back pay provided for the furloughed workers when an agreement is reached in Congress to reopen the government.“We’ll have to see what they end up doing at the federal level,” Reynolds said. “But again, if they would pass a clean (continuing resolution), then they could sit down at the table and they could start to work on the different appropriations, and get the government funded.”The 67 IWD workers are part of a group of roughly 700 employees across Iowa state government agencies whose pay is affected by the shutdown, Reynolds said.Tuesday was day 21 of an impasse in Congress over federal spending, set to become the second-longest federal shutdown in the country’s history. While the House passed a continuing resolution to provide funding for the federal government through Nov. 21, Senate Democrats have blocked the stopgap measure from passing if the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, set to expire at the end of the year, are not included.Democrats and some health care advocates have said allowing these ACA tax credits to expire will cause health care premiums to skyrocket for tens of thousands of Iowans. But several Republicans have said they are only willing to have a discussion on the issue after a temporary funding measure passes.As the shutdown continues, programs like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare and Medicaid are also expected to see impacts. A letter sent by Iowa’s all-GOP House delegation Monday to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer estimated 276,000 Iowans who receive SNAP benefits and 680,000 Iowa Medicare beneficiaries who use telehealth services could face problems if the shutdown continues into November.When asked if the state can sustain benefits, Reynolds answered, “if the Democrats would pass a clean CR, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” She said during former President Joe Biden’s time in office, Republicans voted 13 times to keep the government open, and called for Democrats to do the same under President Donald Trump’s leadership.“The games that they’re playing at the expense of Iowans and families of low-income Iowans that need those resources are sad,” Reynolds said. “It’s a sad scenario. They have nothing else. They need to come to the table, and they need to get this passed.”Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday more than 700 state employees and 700 Iowa National Guard members are not receiving pay due to the federal government shutdown.
The governor answered questions on the shutdown at a. News came Monday that as a result of the shutdown, and some union leaders have called for the state to access emergency aid to pay for these impacted staff members’ salaries.
Some of these employees have been completely furloughed while others are working two days a week, Reynolds confirmed, and stated IWD Director Beth Townsend has said the department does not anticipate impacts to processing unemployment claims or issuing unemployment payments. But she said she did not have an answer on whether there would be back pay provided for the furloughed workers when an agreement is reached in Congress to reopen the government.
“We’ll have to see what they end up doing at the federal level,” Reynolds said. “But again, if they would pass a clean (continuing resolution), then they could sit down at the table and they could start to work on the different appropriations, and get the government funded.”
The 67 IWD workers are part of a group of roughly 700 employees across Iowa state government agencies whose pay is affected by the shutdown, Reynolds said.
Tuesday was day 21 of an impasse in Congress over federal spending, set to become the second-longest federal shutdown in the country’s history. While the House passed a continuing resolution to provide funding for the federal government through Nov. 21, Senate Democrats have blocked the stopgap measure from passing if the extension of , set to expire at the end of the year, are not included.
Democrats and some health care advocates have said allowing these ACA tax credits to expire will cause health care premiums to skyrocket for tens of thousands of Iowans. But they are only willing to have a discussion on the issue after a temporary funding measure passes.
As the shutdown continues, programs like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare and Medicaid are also expected to see impacts. A letter sent by Iowa’s all-GOP House delegation Monday to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer estimated 276,000 Iowans who receive SNAP benefits and 680,000 Iowa Medicare beneficiaries who use telehealth services could face problems if the shutdown continues into November.
When asked if the state can sustain benefits, Reynolds answered, “if the Democrats would pass a clean CR, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” She said during former President Joe Biden’s time in office, Republicans voted 13 times to keep the government open, and called for Democrats to do the same under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
“The games that they’re playing at the expense of Iowans and families of low-income Iowans that need those resources are sad,” Reynolds said. “It’s a sad scenario. They have nothing else. They need to come to the table, and they need to get this passed.”
is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
