State Representative Leigh Davis represents the Southern Berkshires on Beacon Hill. The first-term Democrat sits on the House Committee on Federal Funding Policy and Accountability, giving her a front row seat to how the government shutdown will hit the commonwealth.
“It's just the fear, the fear that we can see it coming," she told WAMC. "It's almost like a tidal wave.”
The full impact is just days away.
“A number of federal programs are beginning new funding periods in November, and without congressional action, many of the critical programs and assistance networks that we have come to rely on will soon be unable to continue their work,” said Davis.
While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP has garnered much attention – with over a million Massachusetts residents relying on it for almost $240 million in monthly benefits – other social safety nets will be slashed next month.
“What's also at risk is WIC, which is the Women, Infants and Children Program, and this serves 90,000 residents statewide, and funds could run out within one to two weeks after November 1st," said the state representative. "So, we're keeping an eye on that.”
WIC is aimed at giving pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five free access to “healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and other services.”
“Also impacted is Head Start, which supports 12,000 low-income preschoolers across Massachusetts, and grant renewal for that program will freeze November 1st, and we'll be seeing possible closures in many cities,” said Davis.
As temperatures drop, federal support for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP is also under threat.
“This may pause new funding after November 1st," said Davis. "So, we're seeing that local agencies are saying that applications could be delayed, and many low income and elderly residents might be without heat support by mid-November. So LIHEAP is a big one as well.”
The shutdown’s ripples continue outward from vital services like nutrition assistance, education, and heating.
“We see the Small Business Administration, no new loans coming out of that," said Davis "We see federal research and grants, tourism and parks – they're minimally staffed, they're open, but they're not able to take in any revenue – obviously, visa processing and immigration, and as we know, our federal workforce. So, thousands of Massachusetts employees are furloughed, and we're seeing that they're not guaranteed back pay, which is really, really worrying.”
Davis says the legislature is still mulling over how to use its reserves to protect the commonwealth.
“We have over $8 billion in this rainy day, in the stabilization fund," she told WAMC. "And right now, I think we're waiting to see if there's going to be appetite for dipping into that. I know that's something that, there's been resistance up until this point, so that that could be something we look into. And when we built our FY26 budget, we put in over $800 million, I think a $860 million cushion anticipating some federal cutback. So, we're trying to be as proactive as we can, and we'll see if we end up dipping into that rainy day fund.”
