Prince William officials warn federal shutdown and HR 1 changes could disrupt school meals, housing and social services

Prince William County leaders and school officials said Wednesday that the federal government shutdown and proposed changes in HR 1 pose near‑term cash‑flow and service risks for school nutrition, housing and social‑service programs.

Dante Sinclair, director of management and budget for Prince William County, told the joint meeting of the Board of County Supervisors and the school board that mandatory federal benefits such as Social Security and Medicare should continue but that services funded by annual appropriations may be interrupted: “Mandatory spending programs, I'd like to emphasize, will continue.” He warned that essential employees would continue to work but “without pay” during a shutdown and that some federal contractors are unlikely to receive pay during the interruption.

The county and schools rely on direct federal funding that Sinclair said totals about $169,000,000: roughly $92,000,000 to the schools and $77,000,000 to county government. He said roughly $44,000,000 of the schools’ federal funding…