As Democrats bring the nation to the brink of a government shutdown, they jeopardize critical funding for veterans, seniors, law enforcement, and many others. As Democrats threaten to disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, organizations across the country are urging them to follow through on their word, join with President Donald J. Trump and Republicans, and keep government functioning for the people it serves.

Here’s what they’re saying:

American Federation of Government Employees: “Federal employees are not bargaining chips. They are veterans, caregivers, law enforcement officers, and neighbors who serve their country and fellow Americans every day. They deserve stability and respect, not pink slips and political games.”

America First Policy Institute: “The only way to keep our country on the path to delivering the America First Agenda and meaningful change is for Congress to consider and pass a clean CR before the September 30th deadline. Continuing America’s comeback success means funding our government. Failing to protect our economic and national security interests at home and abroad would diminish this momentum.”

Americans for Prosperity: “Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today expressed support for the House Republican proposal to avert a government shutdown through a relatively clean continuing resolution (CR), which maintains current funding levels and includes targeted security enhancements for lawmakers, executive and judiciary. The measure, which extends funding through November 21, is an effort to keep our government open and functional. This continuing resolution is a necessary step to avoid a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown.”

American Legion: “The American Legion urges Congress to pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 and the VA Extenders Act Of 2025. This legislation ensures continuity for programs that are vital to veterans’ health care, housing, and benefits. By extending authorities for critical initiatives such as the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, the RANGE rural mental health program, and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, Congress will protect lifelines that combat veteran suicide, expand access to mental health in rural communities, and prevent veteran homelessness. The Act also safeguards education benefits, strengthens housing assistance for disabled and homeless veterans, and maintains oversight tools like the VA Inspector General’s subpoena authority. These extensions are not simply bureaucratic measures; they directly affect the lives of veterans and their families. The American Legion urges swift passage of these bills to keep these essential promises to those who served.”

American Telemedicine Association: “We are asking – urging – Congress to not leave millions of patients and beleaguered healthcare providers dangling on the telehealth cliff while they deliberate over dynamics around a government shutdown.”

Association of American Mature Citizens: “AMAC Action, the advocacy affiliate of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), with over 2 million members nationwide, urges Congress to pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown and ensure that essential services remain uninterrupted. A government shutdown would jeopardize critical services that seniors rely on, from Social Security offices and Medicare assistance to veterans’ benefits and health programs. The confusion, backlogs, and service disruptions that accompany a shutdown create needless anxiety and hardship for older Americans living on fixed incomes. The demands reportedly being made by Democrat leaders to keep the government open, including healthcare for illegal aliens and funding for public broadcasting stations that consistently peddle harmful falsehoods about conservatives, are unpopular and unreasonable requests. President Trump and Republican leaders have the support of America’s seniors in rejecting these demands. We urge lawmakers to avoid political brinkmanship, act now, and honor their commitment to the American people, especially our nation’s seniors. Pass a clean CR. Keep the government open. Protect America’s seniors.”

AMVETS: “AMVETS supports the passage of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, which contains vital extensions for the Department of Veterans Affairs. These provisions safeguard critical programs, including the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program, and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. Congress must act without delay to pass this measure and ensure the VA can continue delivering lifesaving services to veterans and their families. Looking ahead, AMVETS encourages Congress to prioritize timely, full-year appropriations to provide the VA with the stability and predictability needed to best serve our nation’s veterans.”

Concerned Veterans for America: “This government shutdown could be catastrophic for the veteran community, especially the most vulnerable among us, including vets who are service-connected, elderly, and homeless. The VA exists to keep the government’s promise to provide care for our nation’s heroes. If these extensions are not passed, it will halt the VA’s ability to deliver these vital services to veterans and their families, potentially preventing thousands of veterans from life-saving care. Passing the Continuing Resolution and ending shutdown threats through permanent solutions like the Preventing Government Shutdowns Act allows Congress to focus on tackling the real priorities: cutting waste, practicing fiscal responsibility, and advancing policies that expand opportunity and prosperity for all Americans ― including veterans and military families who continue to safeguard America’s interests. CVA urges principled lawmakers to take shutdowns off the table. We know they don’t solve problems ― they make them worse. We’re calling on all lawmakers to do the right thing, for veterans and for America.”

Council of Local Prisons: “I am writing to you on behalf of the thousands of men and women who serve in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). As you know, these individuals perform some of the most difficult, dangerous, and essential work in government service. A government shutdown would not only threaten their livelihoods but would also directly jeopardize institutional security and public safety nationwide. I strongly urge you to work together to avoid this outcome. Unlike many agencies, the BOP cannot reduce hours, close its doors, or pause operations during a shutdown. Correctional facilities must remain fully operational around the clock. Inmates must be housed, fed, transported, and supervised regardless of political gridlock. The mission of the BOP is continuous, and its staff are required by law and duty to report to work—even if pay is withheld… On behalf of correctional officers, case managers, medical professionals, teachers, and countless others within the Bureau of Prisons, I implore you to set aside political differences and prioritize the security of this nation by preventing a government shutdown. Passage of funding measures is not simply a matter of politics—it is a matter of safety, stability, and justice. Every day a shutdown continues, correctional staff are asked to risk their lives without pay, institutions operate under mounting strain, and the American people are put at greater risk. The cost of inaction far outweighs any perceived political gain.”

CURE: “The Senate should pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded when the current fiscal year expires on Tuesday, September 30th. House Republicans and a Democrat congressman from Maine have already taken this responsible action.”

CTIA (The Wireless Association): “We support the extension of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 included in the House of Representative’s Continuing Resolution. CISA 2015 established a vital legal framework that enables trusted cyber threat information sharing between the public and private sectors, and this collaboration has strengthened cybersecurity efforts across critical infrastructure, including wireless networks. This will ensure Americans continue to be protected from evolving cyber threats while Congress pursues a long-term extension of the Act.”

Independent Women’s Voice: “This clean continuing resolution is a necessary step to keeping the government running even as Congress does the good work to pass responsible appropriations bills through regular order. Americans did not vote for a dysfunctional government. They want a right-sized government, and so far, this Congress has taken that mandate seriously. Furthermore, in light of the horrendous slaying of Charlie Kirk, this CR provides members of Congress with additional protections so that they can serve their constituents. We urge all members to pass this clean CR to prevent disruptions to national security, public safety, veterans care, and social safety net programs while bringing back fiscal responsibility.”

National Association of Home Builders: “On behalf of the more than 140,000 members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), I am writing in support of H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 that would continue to fund operations of the federal government including the extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until November 21. Without this bill, the NFIP program is set to expire on September 30. Past disruptions of the NFIP have caused immediate and widespread negative impacts on property sales, home values and consumer confidence. Home sales would cease in areas where flood insurance is mandatory in order to obtain a mortgage. Homeowners who have current NFIP policies would also be unable to renew them during a lapse. NAHB believes that it is critically important for the economy, and the housing industry specifically, that Congress extend this vital program to provide certainty, predictability, and peace of mind to policyholders who rely on the NFIP for the flood protection and mitigation strategies for which it was designed. What the housing market needs now is stability and certainty. NAHB calls upon the House to act quickly to continue to fund the operations of the federal government including the extension of the NFIP.”

National Association of Police Organizations: “The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), representing some 250,000 sworn state and local law enforcement officers across the United States, calls on Congress to come together and pass a continuing resolution to extend funding for the federal government before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. If lawmakers neglect their constitutional duties, allow funding to runout and shutdown the government, federal law enforcement officers, who are working to protect our cities and communities from violent crime, drugs, and guns, will be putting their lives on the line without getting paid. Federal funding for task forces will stop flowing. Federal grants, resources, and supports for state and local law enforcement will stop, leaving vital public safety initiatives in the lurch. Now is not the time to let federal funding run out. As the deadly shooting at the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility yesterday illustrates, American law enforcement officers are working in an increasingly dangerous and charged environment. To have them risk their lives without pay undermines support for the work they are doing and increases the stresses and strains the job puts on them and their families. We are calling on all lawmakers to do the right thing and enact a continuing resolution to fund the government before time runs out.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “We commend the House for passing the continuing resolution. America’s hardworking farmers and ranchers need predictability and stability from government, and House leadership is leading the charge to do just that. We encourage the Senate to follow suit and ensure that this continuing resolution reaches the President’s desk as soon as possible.”

National Chicken Council: “Following House passage, NCC today is urging the Senate to follow-suit and pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would prevent the government from shutting down. Businesses need certainty and the President signing a CR would help provide it.”

National Fraternal Order of Police: “One of the most fundamental responsibilities of Congress is to provide funding for the operations of our Federal government—they have got to pay the bills. Political divisions and Congressional dysfunction seem to be a growing problem no matter which party controls Congress and the White House. The legislation, which passed the House last week, requires 60 votes to pass the Senate. It was rejected by the Senate on a 44-48 vote, with eight Senators missing the vote. The bill is a ‘clean’ continuing resolution that will prevent the partial government shutdown that is swiftly approaching. The Senate’s rejection will cause major disruptions for programs that fund public safety efforts in our communities. Government officials throughout the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security won’t be able to man their posts and provide support for operations in the field. This should be unacceptable to all Americans. On behalf of the FOP’s 382,000 members, I urge the Senate to reconvene, reconsider, and enact the continuing resolution. Congress has an obligation to the American people to fulfill one of its core responsibilities—keeping the government open and continuing the services it provides to our citizens.”

National Grocers Association: “The National Grocers Association (NGA), representing America’s independent community grocers, supports passage of a temporary continuing resolution to keep the government funded while Congress completes the FY26 appropriations process. A lapse in funding will seriously jeopardize critical programs that grocers and their customers rely on – including SNAP and WIC – which will have limited funding and threaten food access for millions of low-income Americans should a shutdown occur. Compounding the risks of a shutdown for local grocers and the communities they serve, is the current prohibition on EBT processing fees that is set to expire on October 1st. NGA urges Congress to resolve these dual threats to American communities before the October 1 funding deadline. Without an extension on the EBT prohibition, independent grocers will face millions in new costs simply as a result of participating in this successful public-private partnership, which may limit grocer participation, and drive-up food prices for American families who can least afford it.”

Parents Defending Education: “Keeping the government open should be bipartisan. A clean CR does that without wasting taxpayer money on things like earmarks, pet projects, and attempts to re-fund programs that deserve to be shut down.”

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council: “SBE Council strongly supports the CR and urges every U.S. House member to vote in favor of this sensible step to keep the federal government open, allowing for discussions to continue on longer-term funding matters. Small business owners, their employees, and local communities are still transitioning through the effects of past policies that imposed multi-year inflationary pressures and higher borrowing costs, among other challenges. They need certainty and confidence that elected officials and government leaders are delivering on stability, not disruptive action that could potentially undermine growth and planning. Advancing the CR signals that Congress is serious about supporting a stable environment and getting back to regular order. Again, we urge U.S. House members to support the CR.”

Unify.US: “Unify.US strongly supports H.R. 5371, a clean, short-term continuing resolution that will keep the government open while Congress continues to work on a full-year funding package. Shutting the government down while this work continues is irresponsible and will be harmful to the American people.”

U.S. Travel Association: “A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy—costing $1 billion every week—and affecting millions of travelers and businesses while placing unnecessary strain on an already overextended federal travel workforce… The longer a shutdown drags on, the more likely we are to see longer TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, national parks in disrepair and unnecessary delays in modernizing travel infrastructure. Nearly nine in 10 Americans agree Congress should work together to prevent a shutdown. Americans deserve better—lawmakers must act before October 1 to keep our government funded and protect jobs, travelers and our economy.”

Vietnam Veterans of America: “On behalf of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), I urge you to act quickly to pass a clean continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown. For veterans, a shutdown is not a distant political exercise, but an immediate disruption of care, support, and progress on life-saving Initiatives. While some services like medical care and the veteran’s crisis lines will remain open, many others will grind to a halt. Claims processing, appeals, and benefits decisions will stall, leaving veterans waiting longer for the support they have earned. Community-based programs that fight veteran homelessness will face funding delays, putting already vulnerable veterans at greater risk. And promising new initiatives, such as the Warrior Independence Center, will be forced to wait, undermining urgently needed efforts to reduce both homelessness and suicide among veterans. Every day of delay caused by partisan conflict means veterans remain on the streets, families wait for benefits decisions, and momentum toward solving the suicide crisis is lost. I appeal to both of you, as leaders of your caucuses, to resist the pull of political brinkmanship and work together with the President to keep the government open.”

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Fox News: Democrats risk flood insurance lapse in their shutdown fight, home builders and White House warn

“As the Sept. 30 government funding deadline looms, the Trump administration is warning that millions of Americans could lose flood insurance coverage if Democrats refuse to back a House-passed spending bill that also extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)… According to administration figures reviewed by Fox News Digital, a lapse in NFIP authorization could disrupt about 1,300 property sales every day. That’s roughly 40,000 closings in a single month, all in areas where flood insurance is required to secure a mortgage. More than 400,000 policies are set to expire in October. Officials say about 152,000 of those have been prepaid, but more than 250,000 households could still lose coverage if the program stalls.”

RealClearPolitics: WH to Dems: Shutdown Threatens WIC Benefits for Mothers, Children

“The pain of a government shutdown won’t just be political: Millions of low-income women and children could be left hungry as soon as next week if congressional Democrats and the White House do not come to a deal. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children will soon run out of funding. If they don’t cut a deal to keep the government open, a senior White House official told RealClearPolitics, ‘Democrats would be turning their back on WIC recipients.’”

The Hill: Veteran groups warn Congress against shutdown: ‘Resist the pull of political brinkmanship’

“Several veteran groups are urging Congress to pass a short-term spending measure to avert a potential government shutdown, warning that the GOP-led continuing resolution (CR) contains extensions vital for veterans’ housing, benefits and health care.

Four veteran groups — American Legion, AMVETS (American Veterans), Vietnam Veterans of America and Mission Roll Call — said on Saturday that the CR, which passed the House earlier this month, contains “vital extensions” for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that “safeguard” important programs, including the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program.”

The Daily Wire: Democrat-Led Shutdown Will Put Law Enforcement ‘Lives On The Line’ Without Pay, Top Orgs Warn

“Top law enforcement organizations are warning that a government shutdown would put the lives — and livelihoods — of many American law enforcement officers in danger. The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), which represents 250,000 state and local law enforcement officers throughout the United States, warned in a statement Saturday that ‘if lawmakers neglect their constitutional duties, allow funding to run out and shut down the government, federal law enforcement officers, who are working to protect our cities and communities from violent crime, drugs, and guns, will be putting their lives on the line without getting paid.’”

The Daily Wire: Popular Health Program Will Expire If Senate Dems Force Government Shutdown, White House Warns

“If Democrats in the Senate continue to block a short-term government funding plan, a program that allows low-income and Medicare patients to be treated at home rather than in a hospital will expire, the White House warns. The Acute Hospital Care at Home Initiative enables hospitals to obtain approval to treat Medicare patients with conditions such as respiratory diseases or bacterial infections at home. The program, which was rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to expire on September 30 unless reauthorized by Congress.”