Federal programs support millions of families through educational opportunities, health care, nutrition, child care, economic security and other life staples. Shutdowns disrupt those services, delay applications for passports or small business loans, halt housing inspections and stifle tourism at national parks. And they hurt children, whose parents lose their paychecks and who must survive without vital supports such as Medicaid or the Section 8 housing voucher that helps low-income families, seniors and individuals with disabilities pay their rent.
The fact is, shutdowns cost taxpayers billions and erode the confidence of the American people in government. Moreover, they waste the hard-earned wages of federal employees who are mission driven and invested in their work for agencies devoted to weather forecasting, GDP statistics, cybersecurity, in-hospital healthcare, and more. Missing paychecks hits their morale, especially when they know that some of their work will not be reimbursed later.
This time around, Congress’ leadership and President Trump offered a reasonable solution — a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open until November 21, 2025 — but Democrats refused to take it up because they want to use this crisis to force new far-left policy demands that have nothing to do with keeping the government open. This is no way to govern. And it is certainly no way to support the millions of small businesses, families and communities that depend on federal services. It is time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on political brinkmanship and pass a bipartisan CR.
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