PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The government shutdown is underway, and its impact is being felt here in Philadelphia.
According to Visit Philadelphia, attractions that are part of Independence National Historical Park, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, are temporarily closed.
Shirley Santiago and her family traveled from Hawaii to check out the city’s historical sites, but were a bit disappointed on Thursday.
“We came all the way here to see the Liberty Bell … but we were just told we can't get into Independence Hall because of the shutdown.”
Rebecca Shoyer of Mount Laurel came with her daughters and tried to make the most of their visit — “We're just sort of looking through the windows at everything and taking pictures.”
As of Thursday, the following sites are closed:
- Liberty Bell Center
- Independence Hall
- Benjamin Franklin Museum
- Franklin Court
- 18th Century Garden
- Rose Garden
- Magnolia Garden
- Benjamin Rush Garden
🎧 Related
So, what can you still visit?
- American Philosophical Society Museum
- Betsy Ross House
- Carpenters’ Hall
- Christ Church and Christ Church Burial Ground
- Cherry Street Pier
- Elfreth’s Alley
- Franklin Square
- Independence Seaport Museum
- Independence Visitor Center
- Mother Bethel AME Church and the Richard Allen Museum
- Museum of the American Revolution
- Museum of Illusions Philadelphia
- National Constitution Center
- National Liberty Museum
- Powel House and Hill-Physick House
- U.S. Mint at Philadelphia
- Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
The breakdown
The shutdown came after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by Trump’s Republican administration.
Essential government workers, like TSA officers and air traffic controllers, still have to show up to work, but they’re not getting paid.
On Thursday, The Associated Press reported that Trump seized on the government shutdown as an opportunity to reshape the federal workforce and punish detractors, meeting with budget director Russ Vought to talk through “temporary or permanent” spending cuts that could set up a lose-lose dynamic for Democratic lawmakers.
READ MORE: PHL Airport employees continue to work — without pay — as government shutdown begins
The Office of Management and Budget announced it was putting on hold roughly $18 billion of infrastructure funds for New York’s subway and Hudson Tunnel projects — in the hometown of the Democratic leaders of the U.S. House and Senate.
Senators will return on Friday to vote again on a GOP measure to extend federal funding for seven weeks.
The last government shutdown took place at the end of 2018 and into 2019. It lasted for 35 days.