T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM A sign hangs on the entry door of the Marshall County United States Department of Agriculture Service Center on South 2nd Street in Marshalltown. The office will remain closed until the federal government shutdown ends.

The seventh day of the federal government shutdown came and went Tuesday, and it looked like both sides of the political aisle were not close to reaching an agreement on reopening.

Some government programs have been suspended until a reopening occurs. In Marshalltown, the United States Department of Agriculture Service Center (USDA) is closed until there is a reopening. A prominent banner has been placed on the Iowa USDA website stating it will not be updated due to the “Radical Left Democrat shutdown.”

While activities are still ongoing at Marshalltown Community College (MCC), there is uncertainty for students and the college, according to Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) President Anne Howsare Boyens. As always, the students remain their top priority, and many depend on federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, student loans and work-study to begin and continue their education.

Fortunately, MCC students will not need to worry about money for school yet. She added that the contingency plan for the United States Department of Education states Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans will continue without interruption, which is good news for the 2025 fall students.

“However, any new grant applications are on hold – existing awards will still be available – and federal staffing levels are significantly reduced,” Howsare Boyens said. “That raises concerns about the ability of families to get help with the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as the status of other federal grants that support student services and workforce training.”

While MCC is not facing immediate reductions, staff are worried about program stability, delayed funding and the challenges of serving students if federal support is not in the future.

“Most of our students have already completed FAFSA paperwork and received fall aid, but a significant number could still be impacted if the shutdown continues into future terms,” Howsare Boyens said.

More than 700 IVCCD students rely on Pell Grants, and 350 receive federal loans for their education. Programs such as TRIO and adult education, which serve 200 to 300 students, also rely on federal dollars.

“We have contingency plans in place, including flexible payment arrangements, institutional emergency scholarships and local partnerships to ensure that students can stay focused on their studies,” Howsare Boyens said.

Despite the future hardship potential and seeming unlikelihood of Congressional Democrats and Republicans reaching an agreement, she added that they are hopeful for a quick resolution.

“As always, Iowa Valley is prepared to ensure students have the resources and support they need to continue pursuing their educational goals,” Howsare Boyens said.

The federal government shutdown began Oct. 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, after the federal government ran out of funds due to Congressional members not coming to an agreement on ways to spend money.

The Republicans want appropriations legislation passed as is, and they need 60 votes in the Senate to do so. However, the Democrats refuse to add to the necessary 60 votes unless Affordable Care Act subsidies are extended. If the subsidies are not approved, health insurance premiums are expected to double for millions of Americans.

Without a flow of federal money, 750,000 federal workers are on furlough. The shutdown has given President Donald Trump the opportunity to threaten a layoff of “vast numbers” of federal employees and to deny some furloughed workers back pay during the shutdown.

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.