National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 242 | 2023 Government Shutdown

For the second time in five years, and the third time in the past decade, the United States government was poised to shut down this weekend because of an impasse in the House of Representatives over how to fund the government. And, as a result, the National Park System was poised to shut down. 

However, an 11th-hour compromise was reached that will keep the government funded for another 45 days before it again might be poised for a shutdown.

Different administrations in Washington take different approaches to whether to shut down the parks or keep them open during a government shutdown. Back in 2013 the Obama administration elected to close the parks. Five years ago, the Trump administration decided to keep them open, albeit with skeleton Park Service staffs.

To learn more about the impacts of government shutdowns on the National Park System, both physical and financial, we’re joined today by Bob Krumenaker, a recently retired Park Service veteran whose last position was superintendent of Big Bend National Park, and John Garder, the senior director for budget & appropriations at the National Parks Conservation Association.