Alaska braces for federal government shutdown

The shutdown will take its toll on government land, services and workers

By Mari Kanagy • October 2, 2025 5:00 pm
Signage outside the Capitol Hill visitors center notifies the public of its closure due to the government shutdown in Washington, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The first government shutdown in nearly six years left federal agencies in flux and many of their employees in a state of confusion on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, as they received last-minute and conflicting instructions from managers. (Alex Kent/The New York Times)

The U.S. Congress shut down early Wednesday morning as members failed to reach an agreement on short-term spending. Without a plan in place, the government cannot function.

U.S. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a news conference yesterday that layoffs, which would extend beyond the shutdown, were “imminent.” Thousands of Alaskan federal workers are expected to be furloughed.

“There is no such thing as a good government shutdown, and it is imperative that we come together to put a quick end to this one,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Many federal government services are set to continue. Medicaid and Medicare are funded through mandatory access, and therefore will continue to be accessible throughout the shutdown. Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office said that SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program program, has funding to last through October, Alaska Public Media reported last week.

The U.S. Department of Interior, which includes the National Parks Service, said in its contingency plans that “Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors” during the shutdown.

Alaska is home to around 15,000 federal employees, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, one of the highest per capita of the 50 states.

The Department of Defense is the largest single federal employer of Alaskans, tallying in at around 5,000 civilian employees, nearly half of whom will be furloughed according to the department’s contingency plan.

The Interior Department employs 2,300 Alaskans. The U.S. department’s contingency plan states that just over half of its employees will be placed on furlough.

Around 1,500 Alaskans are employed by the U.S. Postal Service. As an ‘independent entity’ of the federal government, services will continue uninterrupted, and no employees will be furloughed.

Dunleavy’s office released a statement ahead of the shutdown, directing state departments to review the federal programs that they administer.

“Historically, Alaska has been able to keep state-administered, federally funded programs operating during previous shutdowns,” the Tuesday statement read. “The State is preparing to do the same in this instance, using available funds and following the most up-to-date guidance from federal agencies.”