St. Mary’s County commissioners voted this week to send a letter to U.S. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks, Chris Van Hollen and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging them to support a clean continuing resolution to end the federal government shutdown now in its 24th day. The action came amid growing concerns over unpaid federal workers at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and broader economic strains in the county, where federal employment drives a significant portion of household income.
The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass appropriations bills, has furloughed thousands of nonessential federal employees nationwide and required others to work without pay. In St. Mary’s County, home to about 115,000 residents and the sprawling Patuxent River base, the effects are acute. The base employs more than 20,000 civilians and military personnel, many now facing delayed paychecks despite continuing essential national security tasks. Commissioner Eric Colvin, in remarks during the Oct. 22 commissioners meeting, described the impasse as driven by politics and expressed frustration at partisan responses from some locals.
“This week we expressed our frustration with the continued Federal Government shutdown and voted to send a letter to Senators Alsobrooks, Van Hollen, and Schumer encouraging them to cross party lines, do away with the partisanship, and vote to reopen the government with a clean CR,” Colvin stated. He noted the House of Representatives had passed such a resolution, leaving the Senate short of the 60 votes needed for passage under filibuster rules. The full meeting, including Colvin’s comments, the letter reading and the 4-1 vote 4-0* approving it, is available online.
The letter, signed by the commissioners, highlights the county’s proximity to Washington and the Patuxent River base as factors amplifying local hardship. “Our proximity to Washington DC and the presence of Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St. Mary’s County means that we have many residents who are furloughed or soon will be furloughed and are going without paychecks, in spite of the fact that many are still doing vital national security work,” it reads. The document calls the shutdown the second longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 21-day lapse in late 2018 and early 2019, and attributes it to political motivations.
It continues: “This government shutdown has now reached the point of being the second longest shutdown in our nation’s history, and it is being driven purely by politics. We are asking you to overcome the politics of the day and cross party lines and reopen our government. The impacts of this shutdown are far reaching and not fully known yet, but families are being impacted. We do not want to see the impacts on our residents worsen.”
The commissioners’ move drew a response from the St. Mary’s County Democratic Central Committee, which praised the letter’s sentiment but questioned its scope. In a statement released shortly after the meeting, the committee agreed with the call to reopen the government but pressed the board to engage Republican leaders as well. “We agree, and urge the Commissioners to advocate within the Republican Party as well,” the statement said. It pointed to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, asking why the commissioners had not demanded the House return for negotiations or pressed Thune to restore food stamp benefits and healthcare subsidies.
The Democrats’ release referenced potential job losses and benefit cuts under Republican-led federal policies, citing a June 2025 report from the Maryland Comptroller’s office on federal spending impacts. The report details that 22 percent of adjusted gross income in St. Mary’s County derives from federal jobs, with $5 billion in federal funding spent there in fiscal year 2024, including $24 million in grants for local programs. It warned that fiscal year 2026 cuts could exacerbate economic pressures, potentially affecting 9,400 county residents’ healthcare coverage and raising costs for those on private insurance.
The committee also criticized federal spending priorities, noting $40 billion allocated to aid Argentina and plans for a $300 million White House ballroom renovation. It estimated Republican administration cuts had already cost Maryland more than 15,000 jobs in 2025. “The Republican Administration’s slashing of federal spending has cost Maryland over 15,000 jobs this year,” the statement read. “Under the Republican’s current plan, nearly 9,400 St. Mary’s County residents face losing their healthcare benefits.”
Colvin, in his remarks, acknowledged the limited leverage of local officials but emphasized direct constituent stories of hardship. “It is disappointing that some locals are jumping on this with their own partisan attacks, but I know that we are hearing stories from people and families directly impacted by this shutdown and I know that if it continues to stretch out, it will get worse,” he said. The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner Randy Guy, who favored a more targeted approach. **
Beyond immediate furloughs, the shutdown ripples through Southern Maryland’s economy. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, serving St. Mary’s among other counties, announced Oct. 9 it would waive late fees, suspend disconnections and offer payment extensions for affected federal workers and contractors. The utility, which supports 175,000 customers, noted federal jobs comprise up to 40 percent of employment in the region, heightening risks of broader slowdowns in retail and services. Statewide, Gov. Wes Moore addressed Marylanders Oct. 1, outlining emergency loans and unemployment aid for federal employees.
At Patuxent River, base officials confirmed morale, welfare and recreation services remain operational during the lapse, but nonessential civilian staff face furloughs. The Navy has directed support resources for sailors and families, including financial counseling, though pay delays persist for about 800,000 affected Department of Defense civilians nationwide. Locally, food pantries and community action groups report increased demand, with the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee processing more applications for energy assistance grants averaging $300 per household.
This shutdown marks the first major funding lapse under the current Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump’s second term, following a contentious September debate over spending caps. Previous impasses, including the 2018-2019 event that lasted 35 days, cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion and led to similar local strains in defense-heavy areas like St. Mary’s. The county’s commissioners, a mix of Republicans and one Democrat, one Independent*** have historically navigated federal dependencies, with the base contributing $8.5 billion annually to Maryland’s economy pre-shutdown.
Maryland’s congressional delegation, including Alsobrooks and Van Hollen, has co-sponsored bipartisan CR bills, but Senate procedural hurdles persist. As of Oct. 24, Senate leaders scheduled no immediate vote, with Polymarket odds placing resolution chances below 40 percent by month’s end. For St. Mary’s residents, the wait means mounting bills and uncertainty, underscoring the intersection of national policy and local livelihoods.
The commissioners closed their letter with a reminder of public service duties: “As elected officials, we know that sometimes hard choices must be made. We all chose to serve our citizens because we want to help make our communities better places to live, work, and raise a family. This choice is easy, keep the government operating and ensure our people are being paid for the great work that they do.”
The Democratic Central Committee concluded its response by challenging the board’s approach: “Commissioner Colvin said there’s ‘not much we can do from the local level.’ That limited vision is emblematic of the Commissioners’ status quo–deflect challenges, pass the blame, and act performatively. Meanwhile, our community is bearing the brunt financially, mentally, and emotionally. We should all expect our County Commissioners to do more than signing a partisan-based form letter.”
RESOURCE LINKS:
State of Maryland: Maryland Workers Impacted by the Federal Government Shutdown
SMECO: SMECO Offers Support for Members Impacted by Federal Government Shutdown
METCOM: MetCom Offers Relief During Government Shutdown
Maryland Comptroller: Federal Shutdown Resources
Maryland Food Bank: Federal Government Shutdown: Information for Our Neighbors
MD Unemployment: Beacon
Veterans: Resources for Veterans
Transportation: Federal Workers Ride Maryland Commuter Transportation for Free
EDITS 10/25/2025:
- The letter was approved 4-0 and sent with 4 signatures as Commissioner Hewitt was not at the meeting.
- Commissioner President Randy Guy (R), said he “would definitely sign it,” which he in fact did.
- Commissioner Alderson was required to change to Unaffiliated due to a new job that was required under the Hatch Act or to resign as Commissioner.
