Connecticut Braces for a Failed Budget Deal

Connecticut Public Radio | By Diane Orson

Published September 30, 2013 at 9:44 AM EDT

Connecticut's budget office is working with state agencies to prepare for a possible shutdown of the federal government. In a letter last week to agency heads, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes said if Congress fails to reach a budget deal, there could be "significant impact" on staff and programs that rely on federal funding.

The state might have to pay the salaries of state employees working on federal programs, and cover the federal share of entitlement programs like Medicaid. Barnes asked agency chiefs to provide an assessment of potential impacts and contingency plans by Tuesday.

In a statement this weekend, Governor Malloy said threatening the U.S. economy to, in essence, deny affordable health coverage to millions of Americans is unconscionable.

Diane Orson

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

See stories by Diane Orson

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