Faced with a midnight deadline in Washington, D.C., lawmakers have moved closer to an agreement that could prevent the first government shutdown in 15 years.

However, if no agreement is reached, a shutdown would have ramifications for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

“While NAS Whidbey Island’s critical operations will continue, some offices at the base will be closed or working with an extremely reduced staff,” Kimberly Martin, Public Affairs Officer, NAS Whidbey Island said Thursday. “Many civilian personnel assigned to NAS Whidbey Island may be furloughed until further notice if federal budget issues cannot be resolved.”

Martin said it would be difficult to determine the full extent of the impact to NAS Whidbey because each federally funded command has developed its own furlough plan based on its mission and guidance from higher headquarters.

Those who shop at the Commissary on the NAS Whidbey Seaplane base would find the doors locked should there be a shutdown.

“The Commissary will be closed beginning Saturday if the budget is not approved,” said Martin. “They will post notices on the door, on their phone lines and on their website: www.commissaries.com.”

The Navy Exchange would not be affected, as its employees are paid through non-appropriated funds. The Galley and Naval Hospital Oak Harbor will remain open as well.

Military members will continue to earn wages, according to the Navy, but won’t be reimbursed until Congress passes a budget or funding resolution.

But according to the regional manager for Navy Federal Credit Union, Northwest region, active duty military and Department of Defense employees who have direct deposit accounts with the credit union will receive their regular pay on April 15 in the event of a shutdown.

“We want to do whatever we can to support them in any way we can,” Vicki Archer said Friday afternoon. “Obviously we’re going to expedite the approval process on lines of credit as well. But the bottom line is, they will be paid.”

Details on Navy Federal’s policy during the potential shutdown can be found at www.navyfederal.org.

Anyone else with questions regarding federal employees and their status during a shutdown can go to the Office of Personnel Management’s website at www.opm.gov/furlough2011/ for more information.