LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—In preparation for a potential federal government shutdown, GovernorSarah Huckabee Sanders sent a memo to her cabinet secretaries instructing them on protocol.

The failure of Washington to strike a deal on the federal budget has the potential to suspend several programs run by Arkansas’ state government and funded with federal dollars. Governor Sanders will do everything in her power to keep vital programs functioning.

The Governor’s full memo is below:

To:            Cabinet Secretaries
From:       Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Date:         September 27, 2023
Subject:    Federal Government Shutdown

September 30, 2023, at midnight is the deadline for the Biden Administration to work with Congress and avoid a shutdown of the federal government. As a state, we must be prepared for the federal government to fail at its duty and ensure the continuation of those services vital to the protection of public health, safety, and welfare, while at the same time temporarily suspending government services that rely on federal funding. 
 
Should the Biden Administration allow a shutdown to occur, cabinet secretaries will be responsible for determining which programs must be suspended and which employees will be furloughed based on the following criteria:

1.    If a program or employee has been identified by the federal government as being necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare, and the federal government has provided documentation guaranteeing funding during the shutdown, the program and federally funded employment may continue uninterrupted by the shutdown.

2.    If an agency has sufficient federal funding and authorization from current or previous federal grants to fund a program or position, it may do so as long as funding remains available.

3.    Otherwise, programs and employment that are wholly or partially dependent on federal funding will be suspended because of the White House’s failure to work with Congress, effective Sunday, October 1st for the duration of the shutdown. The federal government will not allow us to make any exceptions unless the protection of public health, safety, and welfare would be compromised, as determined by the cabinet secretary in consultation with the Department of Finance and Administration and the Department of Transformation and Shared Services.

The Biden Administration’s failure puts Arkansans and the programs they rely on at risk, but my administration will do everything in our power to keep the vital functions of government working. DFA – Budget and Accounting offices, along with TSS – Office of Personnel Management, will be available to assist agencies in making these determinations. Please contact DFA and TSS for more information.