Congress did not pass a funding bill by the September 30 deadline, and parts of the federal government have shut down. Both parties outline different priorities, but the shutdown has immediate consequences for workers, contractors, and families across the country.
Republican leaders say the government should reopen with a short-term funding bill that carries no policy add-ons. They say a stopgap should maintain operations while larger policy questions move through regular order with hearings, amendments, and separate votes. They say long-term spending or policy changes should not be set inside a deadline bill.
Democratic leaders contend that certain health provisions cannot wait. They say the funding bill should keep the larger Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits in place beyond 2025 so families know what they will pay during open enrollment and should undo recent Medicaid changes they believe would raise costs or make coverage less stable for low-income households.
While both sides frame their positions as protecting the public, the shutdown’s effects are already being felt. Federal employees face unpaid work or furloughs. Federal contractors – who clean offices, provide security, and serve meals – often never receive back pay. Families who depend on federal services face slower responses and longer waits. Even as some benefits continue by law, customer service and routine processing slow down when offices are short staffed. Households that already budget to the dollar have the least room to absorb this shock.
Our request to national leaders is simple: do not lose sight of who bears the cost of a shutdown. Keep workers, contractors, and families at the center of every choice you make. Debate the policies, present the data, and hold the votes—but do not make those with the least cushion pay the price for the argument.
