In a government shutdown, funding for some or all federal programs and activities is temporarily halted as a result of partisan disagreement over spending levels. Unless Congress and the President agree to a new budget or a continuing resolution (CR), many departments will have to furlough employees and stop most activities. Exceptions include those deemed essential to public safety, such as law enforcement and air traffic control. Activities financed by permanent user fees – such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid payments and immigration services – generally continue to operate.
The people most affected by a shutdown are the federal workers who get their paychecks delayed or stopped altogether. This hurts morale for workers who have devoted their lives to the mission of their agency, whether it’s weather forecasting, GDP statistics or cybersecurity. It’s also a gut punch to families who are forced to delay paying their mortgages and credit card bills and rely on food banks.
In addition to the human costs, a shutdown hurts businesses and the economy. Economic research shows that each day of a government shutdown results in a loss of at least $1 billion in lost gross domestic product. Small businesses are especially vulnerable, with a shutdown reducing their ability to meet financial commitments and slowing their growth. Shutdowns also reduce confidence in the American public’s ability to count on our leaders to do the right thing. That’s why 9 out of 10 Americans think it is time for our leaders to end this partisan game of chicken and reopen the government immediately with a clean continuing resolution.