WITH CONGRESS UNABLE TO AGREE ON A SPENDING BILL, THERE'S A CHANCE THE GOVERNMENT COULD SHUT DOWN NEXT WEEK. SENATOR TOM UDALL SAYS IF THAT HAPPENS, NEW MEXICO WILL SUFFER. UDALL SAYS IT WOULD ESPECIALLY HURT THE STATE'S TWO NATIONAL LABS … SANDIA AND LOS ALAMOS … AS WELL AS MILITARY BASES, THE WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT NEAR CARLSBAD, AND PUBLIC LAND AGENCIES.
UDALL SAYS LOS ALAMOS AND SANDIA MAY NOT CLOSE IF THE GOVERNMENT RUNS OUT OF MONEY, BUT THEY'LL BE GREATLY IMPACTED. HE SAYS THE LABS ARE ALREADY BEING AFFECTED, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW HAVING TO SPEND TIME GEARING UP FOR A POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
