RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With the U.S. barreling toward a government shutdown, many Virginians are wondering how a potential shutdown may impact them. “We are going to feel this in Virginia at an unprecedented level,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia). According to government data, Virginia is home to more than 140,000 federal workers, many of whom could be furloughed or forced to work without pay during a shutdown. “Believe me, people -- particularly at the holidays -- they’re not confident when they are going to see a paycheck. They need to pay the mortgage, healthcare premiums, to write a check for their kid's tuition for the spring semester. You are going to see that affect the workforce,” Senator Tim Kaine (D- Virginia) told 8News. One of the biggest concerns for Virginia’s senators is holiday travel. They say although TSA officers and air traffic controllers are required to work during a shutdown, travel could be slowed because some workers who aren’t getting paid may simply refuse to show up to work. “You are going to have a level of chaos at our airports that I fear could be unprecedented,” Warner said. Meanwhile, one area where the extent of the impact is unknown is the U.S. Postal Service. Kaine says while the Post Office is self-funded, your Christmas gifts may still not get to their destination on time. “The Post Office also relies on airports to deliver mail that has to go by air and they rely on other federal agencies to get their jobs done,” Kaine said. It’s important to note that any federal employees who are furloughed or forced to work without pay will receive back pay once the shutdown is over.