You can read full details here:
https://swling.com/blog/2018/08/information-from-the-nist-regarding-possible-closure-wwv-radio-stations/TLDR version: Next year's budget for the NIST has their time signal broadcast funds zeroed out. This includes the WWV & WWVH shortwave stations, and the longwave WWVB automatic clock synchronization broadcasts as well. Total per-year cost of these broadcasts is $6m.
These stations provide not only a time signal, but an equipment calibration standard and set of shortwave propagation beacons too. Some are calling this a "nostalgia and legacy system," but as a ground-based backup for GPS time signals, $6m is a drop in the bucket. Furthermore, we're not sure how many embedded systems rely on these signals for synchronization, so in the event of a shut-down we may (stress
may) be facing a sort of mini-Y2K situation. At very least, that clock way up high on Grandma's wall will start drifting, and she'll be bugging you once a month to come over with a ladder and set the darned thing.
It is $6m dollars, and I'm all for cutting the Federal budget to the bone. OTOH, this is into the bone right here, and it divides out to a big $0.02 per person. And, unlike so much Fed spending, this one is (sort of) authorized in the Constitution:
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
Works for my libertarian soul. If you are inclined at all to write your congresscritter, now's a pretty good time.