Shutdown hits national security employees across government.

U.S. Coast Guard spouse Rachel Whitlow holds her 15-month-old son, Walker, as she waits in line to receive free groceries during a food giveaway on Jan. 19, 2019, in Novato, Calif. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Days after Christmas and the start of what is now the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history, Maggie Feldman-Piltch, founder of a growing grassroots community of female national security professionals called #NatSecGirlSquad, reached out to members affected by the furloughs to offer support.

Now, over a month since the shutdown began, Feldman-Piltch has fielded calls from more than 300 federal workers asking for help paying bills and vetting résumés, among other requests, she says. Those reaching out include FBI officials; employees at the departments of State, Justice Department and Homeland Security; temporary workers from various agencies; and other national security officials.

“It’s very obvious that it’s having a huge impact,” said Feldman-Piltch during a phone interview with Yahoo News. “The connective tissue part, the parts established after 9/11 to prevent stovepiping [blockages preventing information-sharing between agencies] … those are the parts falling first.” 

Full story at Yahoo News.

By Jenna McLaughlin and Sean D. Naylor.