Congressman Don Davis Meets with Civilian Coast Guard Families to Discuss Government Shutdown Impacts
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Congressman Davis (NC-01) met with civilian Coast Guard personnel and their families to discuss the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has suspended pay for over 8,000 Coast Guard employees nationwide and nearly half of the workforce at U.S. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City in North Carolina’s First Congressional District.
The meeting highlighted the disproportionate impact of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown on Coast Guard personnel, particularly civilian employees. Discussion topics included the financial, emotional, and operational constraints on families, Coast Guard operations, and the local economy. While there have been temporary fixes for active duty personnel and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, the stories of civilian personnel have gone largely unheard.
“Amid the longest government shutdown in American history, we must highlight the human impact from missed paychecks and uncertainty,” said Congressman Don Davis. “After meeting with Coast Guard personnel and their families, it is clear, now more than ever, that Congress must set politics aside and end the shutdown without delay.”
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The Coast Guard families in attendance highlighted the increasing strain they are facing nearly two months into the shutdown and the downstream effects of payment lapses, including having to tap retirement savings, use college funds for basic expenses, and sacrifice timely mortgage payments to pay monthly bills. Beyond finances, personnel who continue working face high vacancy rates for those unable to report for work and safety risks from persistent workforce shortages.
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Above all, the families asked that Congress focus on an immediate solution to the shutdown and focus on the tangible impacts on personnel. Congressman Davis acknowledged their concerns and promised to continue supporting consensus pathways to reopen DHS and give voice to their personal stories.
Since January, Congressman Davis has voted four separate times to fund the Department of Homeland Security and avoid a government shutdown, by supporting H.R. 7147 – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, Senate amendments to H.R. 7148 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, H.R. 7744 – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, and H.R. 8029 – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026.
As the representative for North Carolina’s First Congressional District, Congressman Davis represents the over 2,000 active duty and civilian personnel at the United States Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City.