SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
The National Park Service is one of the many federal agencies affected by the government shutdown. It is a high-profile government agency. It’s one that many Americans interact with. Thousands of people visit parks, memorials and other sites run by NPS every single day. That includes Independence Hall, the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. WHYY’s Carmen Russell-Sluchansky visited the important national landmark.
CARMEN RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY, BYLINE: In the heart of Philadelphia, dozens of people are waiting in line to see the Liberty Bell. But once they get to the front of the line, they have to view it through a window from the outside. Many out-of-town visitors planned their trips months in advance, but a government shutdown interfered with their plans. Liberty Bell Center is now closed, along with other NPS sites inside buildings. The Liberty Bell is one of several attractions that make up Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, which sees 3 million visitors each year, like Jessica Breen, who was visiting with her family from Napa, California. She planned to visit the bell with her 84-year-old mother.
JESSICA BREEN: Today, she said, we’re going inside. I can’t wait to see it. I’ve been waiting my whole life to see this. And today we weren’t able to go inside. And unfortunately, there’s probably no chance she’ll be able to make this trip again. So…
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: Jonathan Mitchell, visiting from Dallas, says he’s disappointed.
JONATHAN MITCHELL: You come here to be able to have that in-person experience and somewhat feeling shortchanged, if you will, to be standing outside looking through a glass after traveling, you know, miles to be here.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: For federal employees at Independence Park, the furloughs also come with fears about permanently losing their jobs. President Trump is threatening mass layoffs during the shutdown. Mark Cochran, president of the American Federation of Government Employees local, which represents national park employees all around the Northeast region, added that if the shutdown is prolonged, it could threaten the city’s plans for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
MARK COCHRAN: It’s crazy. And so – yeah, so what happens if in these RIFs, the employees whose job it is to make sure that these anniversary events go off without a hitch, if they’re not there anymore? I mean, you know, I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: The National Park Service has not yet responded to a request for comment about those concerns. But Cochran says that employees are already reaching a breaking point.
COCHRAN: It’s been hard, you know? It’s – I don’t know. It’s – you know, you keep giving and giving because you’re dedicated to the mission of preserving our country’s history for the next generation. But at some point, a person can only give so much before they can’t give any more.
RUSSELL-SLUCHANSKY: In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the National AFGE sued the Trump administration to stop potential layoffs, saying they can’t fire people during the shutdown. For NPR News, I’m Carmen Russell-Sluchansky in Philadelphia. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
