If you need to contact Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, you may be out of luck for a while. They’ve closed their state offices thanks to the federal government shutdown.
On the Senate floor this week, Nelson said his constituents won’t be able to get help when they call any of his eight offices in Florida.“They’re going to get a recording of my voice, telling them what has happened and how all of these folks have been furloughed", Nelson said. "and giving them an emergency contact as the one lifeline that we can provide.”
Members of Congress have leeway in determining how to run their daily operations during a shutdown.
Rubio is closing 7 of his offices, but keeping the one in Orlando open.
Some House members are implementing rolling furloughs. Their staffers will take turns coming into work. Nearly 40% of federal workers, about 800,000 employees, are now on furlough.
Those who are paid by resources outside of a federal spending bill can keep working. And those whose duties are related to public health and safety are exempt from furloughs.