Government Shutdown Clock

Government is supposed to work for the American people. But right now it can’t, because Democrats won’t let it. Instead of playing political games they should pass a clean, continuing resolution – and get people back to work.

Shutting down the government is bad for business. Slowing down the economy’s momentum is bad for America. The CR is a good solution for today as we continue to work to build a solid foundation for our country’s future prosperity.

The Left is willing to shut down the government to protect NPR, climate scams, and DEI bloat—yet not a word about cutting a dime from Planned Parenthood.

October 9: 🚨 FACT CHECK: Democrats have votes 6 times AGAINST a clean CR that would fund pay for our soldiers !

Why? Because Democrats are putting free healthcare for illegal aliens over ensuring our troops get paid.

October 7: 🚨 NEW POLL: 65% of Americans say Democrats should accept Republicans’ clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution. Why won’t the Democrats pass a clean CR and negotiate in good faith???

ENOUGH of the political spin! NO tax money for illegals!

October 6: 🚨FACT CHECK: Every penny of our tax payer dollars that goes to illegal aliens is stolen from Seniors who depend on Social Security and Medicare!

DAY 6! This is what the Schumer Shutdown is about. NO tax money for illegals!

October 2: STOP trying to scare Seniors for petty partisan goals! SHAMEFUL! Every penny of your tax payer dollars that goes to illegal aliens is stolen from Seniors who depend on Social Security and Medicare! ENOUGH of the WORD GAMES! NO tax money for illegals!

October 6: “Democrats continue to point fingers despite having supported similar continuing resolutions under both Democrat and Republican administrations. Delaying this commonsense spending package only hurts the American economy and jeopardizes priorities important to their constituents. We sincerely thank Senator Fetterman, Senator McCormick, and the GOP for having the courage to buck the far left and help reopen the government.” – Ron Kendall, President of Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan

October 2: “Taxpayers expect efficiency and accountability. When Washington can’t keep the government open, it jeopardizes projects in Michigan that create jobs, improve infrastructure, and strengthen our economy.” – Ron Kendall, ABC of Michigan President

Associated Builders and Contractors New Hampshire/Vermont (ABC NH/VT) today echoed ABC National’s call for the U.S. Senate to act swiftly to end the government shutdown by passing a clean continuing resolution.

“When the government is shut down, it hurts people, businesses, and communities,” said Josh Reap, president & CEO of ABC NH/VT. “Here in New Hampshire, we believe in doing the right thing. It’s the New Hampshire way—help our people get back to work, keep projects moving, and put an end to the uncertainty that harms our economy.”

Like its national counterpart, ABC NH/VT stresses that the shutdown is counterproductive and risks delays to critical federal infrastructure projects, disruption to small businesses, and unnecessary costs to taxpayers.

“We join ABC in urging the Senate to pass a clean continuing resolution,” added Reap. “Let’s keep America’s builders focused on what they do best: growing our economy, strengthening our communities, and building a better future.”

October 7: AIA to Congress: Reopen America for Business—Pass a CR Now

As the government shutdown enters its second week, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning is calling on the U.S. Congress to pass a continuing resolution and reopen federal government.

“AIA urges Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that will reopen the government, ensuring the continuity of critical functions that protect national security, prevent air travel delays, and sustain innovation,” Fanning said. “While we understand that Congress needs more time to finalize fiscal year 2026 appropriations, a prolonged shutdown has serious implications that will reverberate throughout the aerospace and defense supply chain. A continuing resolution is essential to prevent significant disruptions to government services that underpin our economy, national security, and workforce.”

October 2: AIA Urges Congressional Action to Reopen Government, Keep America Flying and Secure October 1, 2025

After federal funding expired at midnight, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning urged swift congressional action to restore government operations and protect critical national programs.

“America’s aerospace and defense industry, representing more than 2.2 million jobs nationwide, relies on consistent federal investment to remain competitive and secure. This shutdown will disrupt new programs, halt innovation, slow the FAA, and more,” Fanning said.

“With this shutdown also comes a lapse in authorization for three programs our industry relies on—Small Business Innovation Research, Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, and the Defense Production Act. As Congress works through fiscal year 2026 appropriations, we urge them to make meaningful progress that maintains mission-critical functions—especially for the Pentagon, FAA, and NASA—and extends these essential programs.

“We stand ready to collaborate on a path forward that reopens the government and strengthens our shared priorities.”

Dear Leader Thune, Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:
The undersigned organizations urge Congress to quickly pass a measure to reopen the federal government.

A government shutdown affects all American families and has significant consequences on farmers, ranchers, growers and all who work to grow, process, deliver and prepare the food our nation relies on. Currently, the agriculture community is weathering an economic storm; many growers are facing crop prices near record lows while production expenses continue to increase.

The latest USDA Census of Agriculture revealed a loss of 141,000 farms between 2017 and 2022—and 20,000 more farms have been lost since then. A government shutdown adds additional uncertainty, disrupts critical services, delays payments and places more burden on rural communities already feeling significant stress.

We appreciate your leadership and urge both chambers and both parties to work together to end the government shutdown.

Hoping Congress can soon reach a bipartisan agreement to get a clean CR moving, end this shutdown, and work together to resolve any outstanding issues

We urge elected leaders to act with urgency and in good faith to identify a solution that will keep the government open beyond October 1. Travelers, the shipping public and the dedicated federal employees who protect and maintain our nation’s aviation system deserve continuity. Aviation is the safest mode of transportation, but to maintain that the system may need to slow down, reducing efficiency.

This shutdown threat is coming at a critical moment—on the heels of Congress approving $12.5 billion to modernize the FAA’s antiquated air traffic control system; amid the DOT “supercharging” hiring to get air traffic control facilities fully staffed; and the TSA reporting record numbers of travelers through checkpoints.

When federal employees who manage air traffic, inspect aircraft and secure our nation’s aviation system are furloughed or working without pay, the entire industry and millions of Americans feel the strain. We appreciate the men and women who will be going to work, despite not receiving a paycheck, to ensure the safety and security of the traveling and shipping public. We are proud to work alongside air traffic controllers and other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who serve our country, our communities and our airports in a professional manner.

Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today released a statement urging Congress to take the necessary steps to avoid a government shutdown from beginning at midnight on October 1.

“Every safe departure and arrival in aviation relies on close collaboration across the industry. Our pilots depend on our partners at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), especially hardworking and dedicated air traffic controllers, to help safely shepherd us through the skies.

“A shutdown threatens the stability of the safest aviation system in the world. For years, ALPA has advocated for reliable, long-term funding to protect the FAA from being caught in political gridlock. The staffing shortages and safety setbacks caused by past government shutdowns were unacceptable, and to maintain the highest safety standards, uninterrupted funding to sustain the system that safely moves 2.9 million passengers and 59,000 tons of cargo every day is the necessary path forward.”

Chief Political and Congressional Strategy Officer Annie Russo today issued the below statement calling for policymakers to reopen the government.

“ACI-NA is coordinating with our members, and we are in contact with our federal partners, including TSA, FAA, and CBP, to ensure airports remain operational and effectively provide for the safety and security of travelers. While we do not anticipate immediate effects on airport operations, a prolonged government shutdown could have a significant economic impact and strain the ability of our nation’s airports to serve their communities. We urge the Administration and Congress to work together to fund the government and prevent any disruptions to the aviation system that may be caused by a shutdown.”

“As stewards of both our nation’s food supply and its natural resources, Alabama’s beef cattle producers deserve the stability of a functioning government that supports their work. We urge lawmakers to fulfill their basic responsibility to the American people, set aside political differences and restore stability through the swift passage of a clean continuing resolution, ensuring that essential agricultural programs and services remain uninterrupted.”

“It’s harvest season in Alabama, and farmers don’t have the luxury of shutting down. Neither should the federal government.”

The ALFA Institute has released a statement opposing the threat of a government shutdown that is currently being used by congressional Democrats.

“America’s strength comes from its ingenuity and relentless drive to solve hard problems—fueling the world’s greatest technological eras. As ALFA has noted, we’re on the edge of another transformation
that will benefit the American people.

“But a government shutdown threatens this momentum, undermining the public-private partnerships powering innovation. Democrats’ refusal to pass a simple continuing resolution is an abdication of leadership, halting progress while global competitors surge ahead.

“Many Senate Democrats have supported near-identical funding bills in the past; now they must stand up again and prevent the self-inflicted wound of a shutdown.”

“The Alliance for Biosecurity urges Congress to prioritize national security and public health by passing a Continuing Resolution to keep the government open. Our nation’s biosecurity depends on continuous investment and uninterrupted coordination between federal agencies and private industry. A lapse in funding would directly undermine the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to biological threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate. Alliance for Biosecurity members stand ready to continue working with federal partners to advance preparedness and safeguard our nation.”

October 7: 📚 It’s Talking T.R.U.T.H. Tuesday and we are highlighting the first T in T.R.U.T.H.: Transparency in Government!

Billions spent, and our kids are still falling behind. 💔

That’s why Secretary McMahon is putting education back where it belongs: with states, communities, and parents.

Transparency means telling the truth and trusting families to lead, and that’s what the future in education looks like.

October 2: The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement from Ted Ellis, Campaign Director of Power America and Deputy Director of Energy and Environment at AFPI, about the ongoing government shutdown:

“A significant obstacle to reopening the government right now is liberals’ push for the Green New Scam—billions in taxpayer dollars going to unreliable energy projects, EV subsidies that mostly help wealthy individuals, and ideological grant programs that don’t deliver real results for Americans. Meanwhile, veterans, seniors, first responders, and families are waiting for the certainty, benefits, and services they rely on.”

“Liberals are crying foul about the administration’s actions to end the Green New Scam, all while they are holding the government hostage—and the federal workers’ paychecks and services Americans depend on, along with it. They should end the hysteria and get allow Washington to get back to work. Passing a clean Continuing Resolution would reopen government, fund essential services, and protect taxpayers by avoiding an unnecessary $1.5 trillion spending increase that liberals are pushing for and no American wants.”

“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.”

“This isn’t politics, it’s about PEOPLE. Families deserve a government that works, not one that shuts down and leaves women and children paying the price. A CLEAN Continuing Resolution (CR), which is a short-term bill that keeps our government open and funded, must be passed now!”

“If Congress shuts down, moms and babies pay the price. WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) could run dry in DAYS. This isn’t politics, it’s about protecting our children. Empty bottles, empty bellies. America’s moms are watching. Our babies can’t wait.”

“The government is officially shut down. Agencies have gone dark, families are anxious, and markets are uneasy. But make no mistake: This crisis is not the product of fiscal prudence or a careful budgeting process. It is the direct result of Democrats demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending, including billions for free healthcare and benefits for illegal immigrants, at the expense of hardworking Americans.

This is political hostage-taking, plain and simple. At the center of this standoff is the Left’s obsession with expanding entitlements for non-citizens. According to the White House’s own analysis, the Democrat plan would commit nearly $200 billion over the next decade to cover healthcare for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens. To fund this reckless giveaway, they would gut reforms designed to protect vulnerable American patients.

This shutdown is not about whether veterans get their checks or whether small businesses receive federal support. Conservatives offered clean funding measures to keep the government open. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the radical Left rejected them. They chose illegal immigrants over American citizens.

Shutdowns are never painless. Economists estimate that each week of closure drains about $15 billion in GDP and costs tens of thousands of jobs. Families waiting on permits, benefits, or loan approvals will see delays. Active-duty military will continue serving without pay. Essential workers will carry on, but under stress and uncertainty.

That hardship lands squarely on the shoulders of the Democrats. They had the choice to fund government responsibly — border security, veterans, infrastructure, law enforcement — without tying it to a radical agenda. Instead, they walked away.

This comes as the national debt already tops $37 trillion, and annual interest payments on that debt are projected to exceed defense spending within two years. At a moment that demands restraint and focus, Democrats doubled down on giveaways and pork-barrel politics.

President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have drawn a sharp line: government should serve Americans first. That means securing the border, defending the homeland, strengthening wages, and investing in infrastructure. It does not mean funneling taxpayer money to illegal immigrants or bloated agencies that exist to enforce woke ideology.

The Trump-Vance Administration’s budget framework is a plan rooted in national interest, not political gamesmanship. Unlike Democrats, this administration has been transparent. They told the American people exactly what they would fund and what they would not. It is the Left that chose to block these commonsense measures and force a shutdown.

Why would Democrats force this outcome? The answer is simple: politics. They believe that by dragging the nation through a shutdown, they can paint Republicans as irresponsible while hiding their own radical priorities.

But Americans are not fooled. Poll after poll shows that citizens want stronger borders, fiscal discipline, and an end to handouts for those who broke our laws to enter this country. By making illegal immigrant healthcare the hill they chose to die on, Democrats have revealed their true priorities.

This shutdown is painful but also clarifying. It exposes the Left’s willingness to sacrifice stability in order to expand government dependency. And it highlights the Trump-Vance Administration’s commitment to an America First agenda, even under intense pressure.
Republicans must hold the line. To surrender now would be to signal that Democrats can always win by threatening chaos. That would guarantee more reckless spending, more border neglect, and more shutdowns engineered by the Left in the future.

Instead, conservatives should rally around the principle that government exists for citizens, not special interests, and not illegal aliens. That is the only path to a stable, prosperous, and sovereign United States of America.

The shutdown is real. The pain is real. But so is the opportunity to redefine what government stands for. If Republicans stay united and the Trump–Vance Administration continues its firm leadership, Democrats will have no choice but to come back to the table, and on terms that prioritize America first.

This fight is not just about dollars. It’s about direction. Do we spend our future on illegal immigrant benefits and ideological programs, or do we invest in security, sovereignty, and American prosperity?”

Jorge Martínez is Senior Advisor and National Director of Hispanic Outreach for America First Works. He formerly served as press secretary at the U.S. Department of Justice. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

ACRA Urges Congress to Pass Continuing Resolution to Prevent Travel Disruptions The American Car Rental Association (ACRA), representing the nation’s car rental industry, today urged congressional

leaders to immediately pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the federal government open and prevent severe disruption to America’s transportation system and tourism economy.

A government shutdown would create ripple effects across the U.S. travel and tourism sectors, undermining consumer confidence and delaying economic recovery in a fragile year for travel.

“A government shutdown is a self-inflicted wound that puts travelers, workers, and local economies at risk,” said Don Lefeve, President & CEO of ACRA. “Passing a short-term CR gives congressional leaders
more time to negotiate while allowing our country to move forward without unnecessary disruption. Congress must act now to prevent avoidable harm to the travel and tourism industry, which millions of
Americans rely upon every day.”

While air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are designated as essential workers and would continue reporting to work, they would do so without immediate pay. Past shutdowns have shown that this leads to low morale, absenteeism, and service disruptions — factors that already strained the U.S. travel system during the 2019 shutdown.

The shutdown would also hurt national parks and tourism. Past shutdowns have forced the closure of most national parks, costing local economies hundreds of millions of dollars in lost visitor spending.

“Small independent rental car operators near national parks are particularly vulnerable to a government shutdown,” added Lefeve. “When parks close or limit services, these businesses see an immediate drop in customers. What should be a busy travel season instead becomes a period of uncertainty and financial strain for operators who are vital to local economies.”

The U.S. tourism economy is already under pressure in 2025 due to reduced inbound international travel and uneven domestic demand. A shutdown would only deepen the divide, hurting lower-income households, small businesses dependent on tourism, and delaying growth opportunities across the travel sector.

“The American Cement Association urges Congress to end the ongoing government shutdown by passing a clean continuing resolution. Prolonged disruptions in federal operations threaten critical infrastructure projects, delay permitting, and create uncertainty across the cement and concrete value chain.

A stable and functioning government is essential to providing certainty and momentum in sustainable development, economic growth, public safety, and energy dominance. Cement manufacturers and their partners rely on timely federal coordination to advance projects that support communities nationwide.

We urge lawmakers to prioritize bipartisan cooperation and restore full government operations without delay.”

ACEC President and CEO Linda Bauer Darr released the following statement on the government shutdown:

“The American Council of Engineering Companies urges lawmakers to find a bipartisan solution that ends this unnecessary disruption to our economy.

A shutdown has a detrimental impact across the economy, causing delays in the permitting and execution of critical infrastructure projects and hurting the clients and communities we serve. Our member companies are on the front lines of delivering safe, dependable infrastructure that supports economic growth and quality of life.

ACEC calls on policymakers to work swiftly toward a resolution that ensures continuity of government services and upholds the stability our industry needs to design and build for America’s future.”

The American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC) released the following statement today urging Congress to pass the Continuing Resolution to keep the government open and avoid harmful disruptions to domestic energy production.

Anne Bradbury, AXPC CEO, said:

“America’s independent oil and natural gas producers work every day to deliver the energy that powers our economy, and a fully functioning federal government is critical to supporting domestic energy production. Government shutdowns threaten to stall the development of oil and gas resources on federal lands – delaying energy projects and hurting consumers who depend on affordable, reliable energy. AXPC urges Congress to pass the Continuing Resolution to keep the government open.”

Dear Leader Thune, Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:

The American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation’s largest general farm organization with
nearly 6-million-member families in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, urges Congress to pass a
measure keeping the federal government operational and provide for more time to complete the appropriations process.

A government shutdown affects all American families and has significant consequences on farmers who work to produce the food our nation relies on. Currently, farmers are weathering an economic storm, facing row crop prices at near record lows while production expenses continue to increase. The latest USDA Census of Agriculture revealed a loss of 141,000 farms between2017 and 2022—and 20,000 more farms have been lost since then. Without meaningful progress on trade, labor, a new farm bill, and expanded use of renewable fuels, the trend will only worsen.

Adding a shutdown to the mix would only add more uncertainty, interrupt critical services, delay payments, and place more strain on rural communities already feeling pressure. We appreciate your leadership and urge both chambers and both parties to work together to avoid an unnecessary government shutdown.

“Natural gas utilities will continue to deliver the affordable and reliable energy that our customers and communities rely upon. A government shutdown will not impact the reliable service utilities provide to homes and businesses across the country, however, a failure to pass a clean continuing resolution may have serious implications for vital energy programs for the poorest and most vulnerable Americans. Furthermore, the longer the government is shut down, the longer Congress remains gridlocked and unable to continue momentum towards permitting reform, which is critical to President Trump’s energy agenda by unleashing abundant domestic energy to support the American economy and our families.”

“A government shutdown creates challenges for the horticulture industry by halting or delaying critical federal services. With nearly half of USDA’s workforce furloughed, programs that growers depend on—such as payment and disaster assistance processing, plant pest and disease surveys, and specialty crop research—are suspended. Key regulatory and support functions at USDA, EPA, and DHS are curtailed, slowing H-2A and H-2B visa processing, pesticide registrations, and the release of essential agricultural data. These disruptions undermine business operations, threaten the supply chain, and weaken the horticulture sector’s ability to contribute to the broader U.S. economy. AmericanHort urges the Senate to work with Congress to pass a Clean continuing resolution (CR) to open the government and ensure continuity of these critical services.”

“The American Legion urge’s 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.”

Holding the federal government hostage over $1.5 trillion in wasteful spending demands is a disservice to every American. With bipartisan majorities in both chambers ready to end the shutdown, it’s time for Senate holdouts to support a clean CR & reopen the government now.

“The American oil and natural gas industry’s mission of delivering reliable energy depends on a functioning federal gov’t. Prolonging this shutdown risks delaying critical projects & adding regulatory uncertainty. Congress must swiftly pass a clean CR & reopen the gov’t.”

“America’s hardworking truckers do their job every day to deliver for the American people, and they expect their government to do the same. We urge Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government immediately.”

“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,” said Kyle Zebley, executive director, ATA Action and senior vice president, public policy at the ATA. “We appreciate that both the House and Senate have been working hard to advance a short- term funding bill. But with Congress out of session this week and not returning until September 29, that leaves only one day before the telehealth flexibilities expire.”

ATA Action is calling on Congress to include a retroactive statement in legislation, in the likely event of a government shutdown, to ensure retroactive reimbursement of telehealth services during that time period.

“What does this really mean for Americans who are relying on virtual care? Medicare beneficiaries will no longer have telehealth visits reimbursed and critical programs like the Acute Hospital Care at Home program could face major disruption. We will basically revert back to pre-pandemic restrictions, severely limiting access to urgently needed telehealth services,” added Zebley. “Hospitals and clinicians will struggle to sustain telehealth-based care if reimbursement disappears. It’s untenable.

“We should at least give providers some reassurance that they will receive back payment for essential healthcare services delivered during this shutdown,” Zebley added. “And give their patients piece of mind that their access to needed care will not be pulled out from under them.”

October 12: As the federal government shutdown continues, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing intense backlash for comments that many view as dismissive of the harm these shutdowns inevitably cause.

In a recent interview, Schumer said of the shutdown: “Every day gets better for us.”
Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer at Americans for Prosperity, responded sharply to Schumer’s comments:

“Senator Schumer’s claim that ‘every day gets better for us’ confirms what we already knew – driving towards a shutdown was their strategy from the beginning, and it was driven entirely by partisan politics.

“While military families miss paychecks and small businesses face layoffs, Sen. Schumer is celebrating a crisis he helped create. This isn’t leadership—it’s political theater at the expense of the American people. We need lawmakers who prioritize solutions.

“The government must reopen immediately. The American people deserve better—a government that works and lawmakers who serve, not strategize.”

These remarks stand in stark contrast to Schumer’s previous statements:

• Chuck Schumer on 1/18/24: “Avoiding a shutdown is very good news for the country, for our veterans, for parents and children, and for farmers and small businesses – all of whom would have felt the sting had the government shut down.”
• Chuck Schumer on 9/23/24: “[A] shutdown would mean chaos and pain and needless heartache for the American people.

Other Democratic leaders have also previously condemned shutdowns:

• Hakeem Jeffries  on 12/19/24: “It’s about the harm… Families will be hurt. Farmers will be hurt… If the government shuts down, holiday travel will be impacted. The ability of everyday Americans to visit their family, their friends, their loved ones will be impacted. Border security and border patrol agents will not be paid. TSA agents will not be paid. Small businesses will be hurt in every single community in this country.”
• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on 1/17/19: “It is not normal to shut down the government when we don’t get what we want.”

 Ignoring repeated warnings, Schumer and Senate Democrats continue to block attempts to reopen the government, insisting on a $1.5 trillion partisan wish list. They know these proposals have little chance of passing—but that doesn’t seem to matter. The longer the shutdown drags on, the more they believe it serves their political interests.

October 3: With the federal government shut down as of October 1st, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is calling out the partisan brinkmanship that led to this entirely avoidable situation. Despite House Republicans putting forth a clean funding resolution that would have kept the government open, Democratic leadership rejected the plan and instead proposed massive partisan priorities that would never pass under normal circumstances.

“The Democrat leadership owes the American people an explanation,” said Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer at Americans for Prosperity. “Republicans put forward a reasonable plan to fund the government and protect taxpayers. Democrats put partisanship ahead of doing their job. Americans deserve better than this kind of dysfunction.”

“Shutting down the government is a losing strategy,” Gardner added. “Businesses suffer; federal workers get furloughed, and services are interrupted for all Americans. It’s time for leaders to put the country first and pass a budget that reflects real priorities—not political games. The American people are tired of crisis-to-crisis governing and deserve accountability from those elected to serve.”

The consequences of this political gridlock are real—impacting families, small businesses, and the broader economy. Here is just a small sample of the headlines Americans are seeing across the country:

Across the country, the grassroots are holding elected officials accountable for voting to shut down the government.

AFP-GA State Director Tony West released the following statement:

“It is time for Senators Ossoff and Warnock to start working for Georgians and vote for a clean continuing resolution. Georgia families should not suffer the consequences of Democrats’ partisan games. Every day this shutdown is drawn out is because Democrats refuse to support a clean funding bill. Senator Ossoff and Senator Warnock need to do the right thing and vote to re-open the government. This is a completely senseless situation—the type of Washington politics Georgians are tired of.”

AFP-MI State Director Tim Golding released the following statement:

“Michigan families are paying the price for Washington’s dysfunction. Every day this shutdown drags on is a direct result of Democrat representatives refusing to support a clean funding bill. Instead of standing with their constituents, they are choosing politics over solutions. That’s unacceptable. It’s time to put people first, reopen the government, and get back to the work of serving Americans.”

AFP-NC State Director Tyler Voigt released the following statement:

“Hardworking North Carolinians are paying the price for Democrats’ partisan politics. By refusing to support a clean continuing resolution, Democrats like Don Davis are putting their interests above those of their constituents. This is unacceptable. It’s time to reopen the government and put the interests of North Carolinians first.”

AFP Regional Director Greg Moore released the following statement:

“It is time for Senators Shaheen and Hassan to listen to their constituents, stop playing partisan games, and vote for a clean continuing resolution. Their refusal to act is prolonging a senseless shutdown that’s hurting New Hampshire.

“Senator Shaheen is leading the charge to keep the government closed—demanding billions in Obamacare subsidies, including for illegal immigrants, while New Hampshire families and businesses pay the price for Washington’s dysfunction.

“We urge Shaheen and Hassan to do the right thing for their constituents by putting their political agenda aside and voting to re-open the government.”

New polling from YouGov confirms that 61% of Americans believe government shutdowns hurt Congress’s ability to help the country succeed. AFP urges all lawmakers to return to the negotiating table, pass a clean funding bill to reopen the government, and commit to long-term reforms that prevent future shutdowns and restore trust in the budget process.

“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.”

“Arkansas banks remain dedicated to our customers and are OPEN for business. The Arkansas Bankers Association urges Congress to pass a clean CR to avoid impacting federal employees, military, and government agencies with lending programs that assist our farmers and our communities. We encourage federal employees and others impacted to reach out to your bank as soon as possible about your personal situation to see what help may be available.”

“The Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association urges Congress to act swiftly to reopen the government by passing funding legislation. Family farmers and ranchers cannot afford to be caught in political gridlock. Keeping the government open is essential to maintaining the stability of our food supply, protecting rural livelihoods, and ensuring cattle producers have the tools they need to continue feeding Arkansas and the nation.”

“Arizona’s economy thrives on stability. Prolonged debates that put government operations at risk create ripple effects of uncertainty for employers, workers and investors alike. The effects of that uncertainty would extend across our economy, delaying critical government contracts and ultimately threatening both Arizona’s industries and the nation’s economic security. We urge Congress to act swiftly to avoid self-inflicted setbacks that weaken America’s competitiveness at home and abroad.”

The Arizona Freedom Caucus stand with our great President Donald J. Trump! Hold the line and say NO funding for radical Democrat pet projects. NO to the #SchumerShutdown!

Dear Members of Congress,

We are writing as Asian Pacific American families, small business owners, and community leaders who love this country and want to see it thrive. We urge you to do the right thing and pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) before September 30th.

A government shutdown would be a disaster for everyday people. It would delay paychecks for our troops, disrupt benefits for veterans, hurt seniors and children who depend on basic services, and create uncertainty for small businesses that drive our communities. Many in our community still remember the pain of past shutdowns—and we cannot afford to go through that again.

This isn’t about politics—it’s about PEOPLE. It’s about parents making sure they can provide for their children, seniors depending on their retirement benefits, and workers needing stability in a time when the cost of living is already too high.

The clean CR on the table is not new or extreme. It simply keeps the government open at the levels already agreed upon, while giving Congress more time to debate long-term reforms. That’s a fair and responsible path.

Sadly, instead of working together to protect families, Democrats are refusing to support this measure.

They are trying to force unrelated, far-left demands into the process—including benefits for illegal immigrants—while ignoring the urgent need to keep the government open for everyone. Even worse, while hardworking families brace for the impact of a shutdown, some Democrat leaders are preparing to attend retreats at luxury resorts, far removed from the struggles of everyday Americans.

Asian Pacific American families believe in putting America first—our people, our security, and our future. We urge Congress to set aside the games, pass a clean CR, and show the American people that their leaders can still put families above politics.

“ABC urges the Senate to act swiftly to pass the clean continuing resolution to extend funding, ensuring the government reopens and critical work can resume to support our economy, small businesses and national security.”

Construction Officials Urge Congress to Pass a Clean Continuing Resolution to Reopen the Government and Keep Vital Construction Projects Underway

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Jeffrey D. Shoaf, issued the following statement today regarding the ongoing federal government shutdown:

“The federal government shutdown that started earlier this week has the potential to undermine the construction sector across the country. That is because the federal officials who need to sign off on change orders, conduct project inspections and award new projects are likely to be on furlough. In other words, the longer the government is shut, the more likely construction employment around the country could be impacted negatively. That is why we are urging Congress to quickly pass, as it has many times in the past, a clean continuing resolution that will allow the federal government to reopen and vital infrastructure and public works projects to continue. Construction workers around the country are counting on Congress to do its job and fund the government.”“ABC urges the Senate to act swiftly to pass the clean continuing resolution to extend funding, ensuring the government reopens and critical work can resume to support our economy, small businesses and national security.”

ACSI urges Congress to act swiftly to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR) and get back to work. In this case, there is nothing to be gained by further delay. The millions of students, teachers, and families who ACSI represents deserve and demand better. Fundamentally, this is not the system our forefathers created, and Congress must ultimately return to regular order.

October 7: One Week in, Democrats Refuse to Budge on Healthcare for Illegals, Obamacare Subsidy Talks Proceeding

One week into the government shutdown that began at midnight on October 1, Congress appears no closer to passing a continuing resolution, as Democrats have continued to demand that Republicans restore taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens, pass massive Obamacare subsidies, and restrict President Donald Trump’s authority to cut government waste, fraud, and abuse as a price for reopening the government.

On Monday, Senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ stopgap funding bill for the fifth time, deepening the stalemate. Just three senators – Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, along with Independent Angus King of Maine – have broken with Chuck Schumer to vote to reopen the government. At least five more will need to cross the aisle for the funding bill to proceed to a final vote.

As AMAC Newsline has previously reported, Democrats have taken fire even from some of their allies in the corporate media over demands that Republicans repeal provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which prevent illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer-funded healthcare and other benefits. While Democrats have accused Republicans of lying and said that no illegal aliens are receiving benefits, normally friendly pundits on cable news networks have questioned why, then, Democrats are so insistent on reversing portions of the OBBB, which ensures that illegal aliens are not on Medicaid.

As the shutdown has dragged on, the central issue has become an extension of expanded Obamacare premium subsidies that Democrats passed during the Biden administration. In March 2021, with pandemic lockdowns still in effect in many states, the American Rescue Plan expanded premium subsidy eligibility to those with incomes above 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

That expansion was supposed to be a temporary COVID-era measure to help families through a tough time. But Democrats extended the subsidies through 2025 in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act – knowing full well that there would be another concerted push to make the subsidies permanent now.

Unsurprisingly, Democrats have hammered messaging that premium costs for some Americans will increase if the subsidies aren’t made permanent – a move that would cost $400 billion over just the next decade. Accounting professor Ge Bai summed up the situation nicely in a recent op-ed for The Wall Street Journal:

“The expiration will affect roughly 1.6 million current enrollees. These are the people with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level who have been receiving subsidies that cap their premium contributions at 8.5% of income. A family of four in Arizona making $600,000, a married couple in West Virginia making $580,000, and a single individual in Vermont making $180,000 all qualify for subsidies. Simply put, since 2021, Congress has been bribing higher-income Americans to purchase expensive ObamaCare plans by hiding the plans’ true price tags using taxpayer dollars.”

Nonetheless, Republicans appear open to negotiating a subsidy expansion. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) posted on X that she is in favor of expanding the subsidies “because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district.” (Of course, as Bai also points out in her piece, the expiration of the subsidies “merely restores the original ObamaCare premium-support structure.”)

But Republicans have maintained that negotiations can only take place if Democrats reopen the government first – which is where the current stalemate sits, as Democrats have been unwilling to comply. As House Speaker Mike Johnson has argued, it would be setting a bad precedent to allow Democrats to hold the government hostage anytime they want to extract policy concessions from Republicans.

Democrats believe that the public is on their side in the shutdown. Polls show that the country is largely divided along partisan lines in who they blame. The next big pressure point in the shutdown will come on Friday, as some federal workers will miss their first paycheck if the government is not reopened. Currently, many federal employees, including air traffic controllers, are working without pay, which has already led to some flight delays. The Trump administration has also used the shutdown to halt funding for some government projects and furlough some 750,000 federal employees – many of whom could be fired if the shutdown drags on.

As of now, the best prospect for ending the shutdown remains five more Democrats crossing the aisle to allow a vote on the continuing resolution.

October 6: Trump Administration Uses Shutdown to Target DEI, Biden-Era Spending

As Democrats keep the government shut down in an attempt to restore taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens, President Donald Trump and his administration are using the opportunity to end partisan left-wing projects receiving federal funding. The President had promised to use a shutdown to stop funding such projects and shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy.

As of Monday, the administration has either paused or cancelled $28 billion in federal funding. The largest action taken so far occurred on October 1, when the Department of Transportation (DOT) paused $18 billion designated for two significant New York City projects – expanding the Hudson River tunnel and expanding the Second Avenue Subway. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought explained in a post on X that the administration is taking this action to “ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles.”

As DOT explained, the Big Apple projects “are arguably the largest infrastructure initiatives in the Western Hemisphere, and the American people want to see them completed quickly and efficiently.” But evidence has emerged that “the contracts awarded are inconsistent with civil rights laws and the Constitution because they were given based on racist DEI.”

The administration has also terminated an additional $7.5 billion for 223 green-energy projects in 16 states. “Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled,” Vought stated in a post on X. Affected states include California, Colorado, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New York.

Trump explained on Truth Social last week that he was meeting with Vought on Friday to discuss additional cuts that can be made. “I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” the President said. “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity.”

On Friday, Vought announced $2.1 billion “in Chicago infrastructure projects – specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project – have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.” In a statement, DOT explained that “Illinois, like New York, is well known to promote race- and sex-based contracting and other racial preferences as a public policy.” The agency added that “these critical reviews are intended to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices.”

During a press briefing at the start of the shutdown, Vice President JD Vance explained that the Trump administration will begin to terminate federal workers if Democrats continue to block legislation to open back up the government. “We are going to have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues,” Vance said. “We don’t like that. We don’t necessarily want to do it. But we’re going to do what we must to keep the American people’s essential services continuing to run.”

The House has passed legislation to reopen the government, but a majority of Democrats in the Senate continue to block the bill. The legislation needs 60 votes to pass the Senate.
As a price for reopening the government, Senate Democrats are demanding that Republicans repeal provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill passed earlier this year banning taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens and implementing Medicaid reforms, including a modest work requirement of 20 hours per week for able-bodied adults. So far, three Senate Democrats have broken with Schumer and voted to reopen the government. At least five more will need to cross the aisle to break the 60-vote threshold.

October 3: The list is LARGE! “You’d need an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the Senate Democrats’ demands for re-opening the government. It’s totally unserious and its all about politics” – Senator John Kennedy

October 3: The list is LARGE! “You’d need an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the Senate Democrats’ demands for re-opening the government. It’s totally unserious and its all about politics” – Senator John Kennedy

October 2: AMAC Senior VP Andy Mangione (@Amaccapitolhill) joins RAV’s (@RealAmVoice) American Sunrise to discuss how AMAC is standing up for faith, family, and freedom and holding Washington accountable, protecting seniors, and securing our borders. Mangione explains AMAC’s campaign for voter integrity, the Stop Illegal Entry Act, and their opposition to Democrat-led government shutdowns that threaten rural healthcare, veterans’ services, and taxpayer dollars!

The federal government is set to shut down at midnight on September 30 after Democrat leaders rejected a clean “Continuing Resolution” (CR) funding bill under pressure from progressives. President Donald Trump held a good-faith meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the White House on Monday in a last-ditch effort to hammer out a deal. But both men refused to budge on Democrats’ outrageous demands that Republicans resume welfare payments for illegal aliens and reverse large portions of the GOP tax cut bill passed earlier this year as a price for keeping the government open.

On September 19, the House approved a CR by a vote of 217–212. The measure would extend funding at current levels until November 21, 2025, providing additional time for both parties to negotiate a longer-term agreement.

The bill mirrored the CR passed earlier this year with bipartisan support, including votes from Schumer and nine other Senate Democrats. Republicans also notably voted for CRs no less than 13 times under the Biden administration to avoid a shutdown.

Despite that precedent, Senate Democrats have blocked the legislation. Because of the Senate filibuster rule, CRs must have at least 60 votes to pass.

Democrat demands include a permanent extension of expanded Obamacare subsidies (which were supposed to be a COVID-19 relief measure), the elimination of Medicaid reforms enacted in Trump’s

One Big Beautiful Bill – such as modest work requirements for able-bodied adults and measures to ensure illegal immigrants are not enrolled – and new limits on the president’s authority to reduce wasteful federal spending.

Republicans argue those demands are unrelated to the immediate task of keeping the government open and instead represent an attempt to force a reversal of policies that voters endorsed in the 2024 elections. Trump said the White House meeting with Schumer and Jeffries was intended to offer Democrats one last chance to accept a short-term extension without conditions, but no agreement was reached.

If the Senate does not pass the House bill before midnight, funding will lapse, and federal operations will begin shutting down at 12:01 AM on Wednesday. That could mean disruptions to a wide range of services, including military pay, veterans’ programs, air traffic control, TSA operations, disaster relief, rental assistance, small business loans, rural health clinics, and food assistance for low-income women and children.

Republican leaders stress that these impacts can be avoided simply by passing the CR already on the table. “A vote against this bill is a vote against supporting our military, against veterans’ care, against disaster relief and critical community programs,” one House GOP aide said. “It is the Democrats’ refusal to move that is driving us toward a shutdown.”

Outside groups have echoed that warning. AMAC Action urged lawmakers to prevent a shutdown by passing the clean CR. AMAC Action Senior Vice President Andy Mangione said in a statement that “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.”

He added that AMAC members support Trump and congressional Republicans in rejecting the Democrats’ demands, calling them “unpopular and unreasonable requests.”

The stalemate now hinges on Senate Democrats. Without at least seven Democrats breaking ranks, the resolution cannot advance. Republicans note that the measure Democrats are rejecting is nearly identical to the one they themselves approved in March. Since then, Schumer has faced intense pressure from the progressive wing of his party not to compromise again, and the conditions Democrats have attached to their support reflect that pressure.

The White House has said President Trump remains open to negotiating broader policy issues, but only after government funding is secured. Republican lawmakers say agreeing to Democrats’ terms now would effectively nullify the outcome of the last election by forcing the GOP to abandon its legislative wins. Democrats, meanwhile, have shown no willingness to decouple their policy priorities from the funding debate.

With less than 24 hours remaining, the likelihood of a shutdown appears high. Unless Senate Democrats change course and allow a vote on the House bill, large portions of the federal government will close tonight. Republicans insist they have already compromised by accepting current spending levels rather than seeking cuts, while Democrats continue to demand significant policy reversals as their price for keeping the government open.

For now, the path forward remains uncertain – but all the pressure is on Senate Democrats to see reason and reach a deal… The government is on the path to a shutdown after Democrats have REFUSED to come to the negotiating table. Here’s why Democrats’ shutdown would be a disaster for American seniors, & why AMAC is urging Congress to PASS the Republican-sponsored continuing resolution.

“The government officially entered a shutdown at 12:01 AM Wednesday after Democrats rejected multiple offers from Republicans to keep the lights on and pass a continuing resolution (CR). While both parties are predictably pointing the finger at one another, all signs point to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ultimately being the biggest loser of this standoff.

The full story of this shutdown begins with the CR passed in March of this year which extended government funding through September 30. At the time, Schumer stated plainly his belief that “there are no winners in a government shutdown” to justify his decision to vote in favor of the CR and bring nine Senate Democrats with him.

“It’s not really a decision, it’s a Hobson’s choice,” Schumer said. “Either proceed with the bill before us
or risk Donald Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This in my view is no choice at all.”

Well, apparently it is a choice, because when faced with another CR that keeps funding at the exact same levels as Schumer just voted for six months ago, he made the opposite call. So, what changed?

This headline from Politico may provide the answer: “Poll: AOC leads Schumer in head-to-head New York primary matchup by double digits.”

Following Schumer’s March vote, he was bombarded with attacks from Democrats’ progressive flank, including from some other members of Congress. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries refused to say that he had confidence in Schumer’s continued leadership – a dodge that can only be seen as a stunning rebuke of his Senate counterpart.

Then came the calls for primary challenges, with Schumer up for re-election in 2028. Just before the funding negotiations really heated up in late September, The Hill reported that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is indeed “considering a possible challenge to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer amid frustration from a number of Democrats who say the party needs to clear the way for fresh voices.”

There should be no doubt that this insurgent threat from progressives’ most high-profile star was on the back of Schumer’s mind as he pushed the country over the brink into a shutdown this week.

Even in the final hours before government funding expired, it was obvious that Schumer still desperately

wanted to cut a deal – but his fear of progressive backlash kept him in line.

As Punchbowl News reported on Monday, Schumer “floated a week-long stopgap funding bill, among other options, to his rank-and-file.” But to progressives, this showed that Schumer “was trying to wriggle out of a shutdown before it even began.” Sure enough, as soon as Schumer was asked about whether he supported such a measure, he reversed course, saying that he wouldn’t support a seven- or ten-day stopgap bill.

But as much as Schumer has bent over backward to appease the progressives who are now calling the shots, what he should have learned by now is that it will never be enough.

Eventually, enough Senate Democrats will make concessions and the government will reopen. Three already have. When that happens, the left will blame Schumer again because, as much as he may play the part, he’s not really one of them. There are too many old clips of Schumer opposing open borders and taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens, and the 74-year-old has cut too many deals with Republicans over the course of his career to pass the left’s ideological purity test. The left won’t be satisfied until a
true believer – like AOC – is atop the caucus.

In the meantime, Schumer’s actions also confirm the worst suspicions of the American people – that the Democrat Party is entirely beholden to its radical left flank, and that Democrats are so desperate to give welfare to illegal aliens and hurt President Donald Trump that they are willing to send the government into a shutdown.

Schumer’s failure to stand up to the obstructionist voices in his party is also opening his own members up to criticism. Past comments from Congressional Democrats blasting government shutdowns as a “disaster,” bad for families, bad for the economy, dangerous for veterans, and unleashing “chaos” are now going viral on social media.

Those glaring instances of hypocrisy aren’t likely to sit well with the American people and are exactly the type of black eye that voters remember when they go to the ballot box. With the midterms just over a year away, a Democrat-induced shutdown is the last thing the party needed when its approval rating was already in the tank.

In the end, Schumer’s gamble won’t just damage his party – it may finish his career. By caving to the far left, he has revealed himself as a weak leader trapped by his own fear of irrelevance. Shutdowns come and go, but reputations stick. When voters and his own colleagues look back on this moment, they won’t see a principled fighter. Instead, they’ll see a man who didn’t have the courage to put country over party and common sense over personal ambition.”

“The government shutdown may have far-reaching negative impacts across federal agencies and public research universities. The longer this impasse lasts, the more devastating the impacts will be. The clock is ticking. Public research universities are pioneering the next stage of innovation in partnership with the federal government in AI, robotics, quantum computing, and many other areas. This research requires active work with partners at federal agencies who are now prohibited from working during the shutdown.

Collaboration with federal counterparts is essential to safely, securely, and effectively undertaking vital research on behalf of the country. The nation suffers when funding lapses stymie innovation. We urge Congress and the White House to find the path forward to fund the federal government, investing in higher education and pathbreaking research that saves lives, improves quality of life, and fuels economic growth.”

The Latin Republicans of Palm Beach have raised their voices in firm support of President Donald Trump as the nation faces yet another government shutdown, which they say is driven by the Democrat-led agenda in Congress. In a statement, the organization accused Democrats of choosing political games over the well-being of American families. They warned that the shutdown not only jeopardizes the stability of the nation but also strikes directly at working families who rely on a functional government and a strong economy. “Democrats would rather play politics than protect American families,” the group declared. “Their agenda will devastate workers, weaken our economy, and destroy the stability our children deserve.” With sharp criticism, the group urged Democratic leaders to stop using communities as hostages to advance partisan interests. Their message was unambiguous: “Enough is enough. It is time to put America first and stop the Democrats from holding our communities hostage.” This statement reflects growing frustration among Republican Hispanic voters in South Florida, who argue that Washington’s political battles should be resolved without sacrificing the families working every day to build a better future.

A government shutdown would harm millions of hardworking Americans, including Hispanic families who are part of the federal workforce, depend on small business contracts, and rely on essential services. Past shutdowns have cost taxpayers billions, delayed pay for critical workers, and shaken confidence in the economy. Congress must act quickly to keep the government open and protect the economic stability that Hispanic communities depend on.

Democrats are risking a shutdown that would hit the Black community the hardest, federal workers unpaid, housing & HBCU programs stalled, small business loans delayed. Their reckless games jeopardize the very things they claim to fight for. Pass a CR. Keep gov’t open.

October 7: Breaking news- we’ve got the receipts that the shutdown is a gut punch to the military and their families. Hot release- the stats below.

This discourages us, y’all! I get it – politics is a rough game. There are a few tools in the toolbox, and well-intentioned lawmakers created the conditions that they thought were so dire — pass a budget or shut down — they imagined no one would do it. But here we are, and it hurts the innocent. Too much. Because, as the slides below show, not only does it discourage our military from being paid, and BSF stats show 30% have less than $3k savings, it discourages their families from continuing service or recommending it to others.

War or peace, life or death, whatever the country asks, our military and their families will do it. We ask for some loyalty from those who send us into harm’s way in return; the least of which is paying us. So Congress has to figure out how to work together to pass a budget or at least a CR. Period.

October 2: Government shutdowns are terrible for military families.

Here’s just one example:

I spoke with a 32-year Air Force Veteran in Kansas, now furloughed from his civilian job on base. His wife, also a Veteran, is left wondering how they’ll cover the mortgage. During the 2018 shutdown, they had to step in to support their son—a border patrol agent with three young children—who also went without pay.

Now, their daughter, a military spouse, is bracing for her family’s pay to stop too. One family, three generations, all serving in different ways, and all left vulnerable by gridlock.

At Blue Star Families, we know from our research that one in three military families has less than $3,000 in savings. A missed paycheck isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis. That’s why we’re stepping up:

✅ Our Shutdown Resource Hub is live with guidance and tools to help families manage this period.
✅ We’re planning live webinars to answer urgent questions and connect families to resources in real time.
✅ We’re partnering with other military and veteran organizations to amplify support and ensure families have a strong, united voice through the circulation of a letter calling for the passing of the Pay Our Troops Act.

Our families should never feel alone in moments like this. That’s why Blue Star Families, together with our military and veteran service organization partners, are circulating this letter, urging swift passage of the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026. This bill is essential because it ensures that service members and defense families continue to receive paychecks during this time. Without it, families with little or no savings are pushed into immediate crisis, facing food insecurity, housing instability, and impossible choices about how to care for their children.

Passing this act is also a matter of respect. It demonstrates to our service members that the nation values their sacrifice. It protects households like the Kansas family I described, where parents, children, and grandchildren all serve in different ways, from being destabilized by events beyond their control.

Blue Star Families is here, and will continue to be here, making sure military and Veteran families get the support they need.

Border Trade Alliance President Ms. Britton Mullen released the following statement as Congress and the administration have yet to reach an agreement that would avoid a lapse in funding when the new fiscal year begins on Wednesday:

“Furloughs, reduced staffing, and any service interruptions would create costly delays and jeopardize economic stability on both sides of the border. Just as concerning, our frontline Customs and Border Protection personnel, who are already stretched thin, would be forced to work without pay, further straining morale, recruitment, and retention.

“The Border Trade Alliance urges the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass a continuing resolution to ensure that our hardworking professionals in cross-border security and trade can continue to do their jobs without a lapse in pay. Preventing a shutdown is essential for trade, security, and the economic well-being of the entire country.”

Statement of Le Roy & Rosie Torres
Co-Founders, Burn Pits 360

On behalf of Burn Pits 360 and the millions of veterans and families impacted by burn pits and toxic exposures, we write to express our urgent concern regarding the risk of interruptions in government funding.

The Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 represents a historic promise — one of the most significant expansions of veterans’ health care and benefits in generations. It was born out of the suffering and advocacy of veterans like Sgt. Kevin Lloyd, who deployed in service to our nation, returned home sick from toxic exposure, and spent years fighting for recognition, care, and justice. His story — and the stories of thousands like him — remind us that the PACT Act is not about politics; it is about life and death.

Full funding for the PACT Act is not optional. Any delay, reduction, or disruption in funding would endanger the treatments, survivor benefits, and essential health services that toxic-exposed veterans depend on. For many, including those battling cancers and respiratory diseases, everyday matters. To allow partisan gridlock to jeopardize their care would be to break the sacred promise made to them when the PACT Act was signed into law.

We respectfully urge Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR) that safeguards the PACT Act in its entirety. Our veterans cannot wait. They cannot afford to be caught in political crossfire after giving everything to this country.

Burn Pits 360 began as a kitchen-table grassroots movement and has grown into a national voice for accountability, transparency, and justice. We remain committed to standing watch for SGT. Lloyd and every toxic-exposed veteran who fought not only for their own survival but for the care of all who served.

We thank President Trump for his leadership and ask this Administration stand firm in preventing any disruption to the PACT Act’s implementation and funding. Veterans kept their promise to America. Now America must keep its promise to them.

Business Roundtable Urges Congress to Avoid a Government Shutdown. “Funding the government is an essential responsibility of Congress. A government shutdown would create uncertainty, disrupt critical services and harm American businesses, workers and families. Business Roundtable urges Congress to act promptly to avoid a government shutdown.”

The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA), representing hundreds of Christian-owned businesses and tens of thousands of employees nationwide, is calling on Congress to immediately pass the clean continuing resolution (CR) and avoid the unnecessary government shutdown caused by partisan obstruction.

The truth is simple: the clean CR currently before Congress is not a new or radical proposal – it merely extends the budget levels previously negotiated and enacted. While CEA believes significant reforms to federal spending, priorities, and programs are urgently needed, this temporary measure is the responsible path forward to keep the government open, protect essential services, and allow lawmakers to continue negotiating those reforms without disrupting the lives of millions of Americans.

Unfortunately, rather than join Republicans and a growing coalition of responsible leaders to pass the CR, Democrats are refusing to support it. Instead, they are trying to use this moment to force new, far left policy demands – including taxpayer-funded healthcare for work-ready adults and illegal immigrants that have nothing to do with keeping the government running. And as they push the country into a shutdown, members of their own party are preparing to attend a political retreat at a luxury resort in Napa Valley, showing just how out of touch they are and how little concern they have for the Americans caught in the middle of their political games.

The consequences of this obstruction are real. CEA has spent months coordinating meetings between our members – employers, entrepreneurs, and job creators – and their elected officials. These meetings were meant to provide small business owners and Christian leaders a direct opportunity to share their challenges, discuss regulatory burdens, and engage in the policymaking process. If the Democrats continue their games, those meetings will have to be canceled, costing these employers both time and money and robbing them of a valuable chance to be heard by their government.

CEA President Margaret Luculano issued the following statement:

“Passing a clean continuing resolution simply keeps the government functioning under the same terms already negotiated during the Biden administration while giving Congress time to work through needed reforms. The fact that Democrats would rather force a shutdown than accept their own previously approved spending levels is proof that this is not about policy – it’s about politics. Their refusal to act is harming families, businesses, and communities across America, all while they pack their bags for a political retreat in wine country. The American people deserve better.”

CEA urges Congress to pass the clean CR immediately, keep government open, and continue negotiations on long-term spending reforms through the normal appropriations process – without holding the American people hostage to partisan demands.

Congress must fund the government. In Washington, some are using the battles over healthcare funding as a power grab. These are political maneuvers that put short-term gain above long-term stability.

The @SenSchumer shutdown is being rejected by the American people because they know his demands are outrageous and would increase spending by $1.5 trillion. @realDonaldTrump and Republicans in Congress are doing what’s best for taxpayers by keeping spending at current levels.

Government funding runs out at midnight tonight, with none of the twelve appropriations bills nor a temporary continuing resolution (CR) having been passed and signed into law. Unless a government funding deal is reached today, the federal government will experience its first shutdown since 2019 and its first full shutdown since 2013. Many functions of government are able to continue during a shutdown, either because they are funded on a mandatory basis or deemed ‘essential.’ Read our Shutdown Q&A to learn more.

The following is a statement from Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:

It’s Fiscal New Year’s Eve, and lawmakers in Washington are poised to drop the ball once again. Despite all the talk in recent months about addressing waste in government, we are about to create a totally wasteful situation: a government shutdown. For the good of the country, lawmakers should work together in good faith to keep the lights on tonight.

Shutdowns don’t save money, they waste money. Under shutdowns, we pay federal workers not to work and rent buildings that aren’t being used, all while requiring costly shutdown planning, inefficient allocation of government resources, and a reduction in the services available to the American people. We should avoid a shutdown and keep the government funded.

Beyond that, we need a plan to actually reduce our massive deficits – and that should include extending discretionary spending caps. The last thing we should be doing is coupling a CR or appropriations bills with new debt-financed spending or tax cuts.

Here are the things our political leaders have failed to do this year: present a full President’s budget, adopt a Congressional budget resolution, and enact a single appropriations bill. Let’s not add keeping the government open for the new fiscal year to that list.

“Looming federal government shutdowns should be treated as opportunities to cut both spending and regulation. So as we barrel toward a potential shutdown that will likely end with a resumption of COVID-era spending levels and $2 trillion deficits despite all the drama, let’s take a beat.”

Forbes Op-Ed:

Looming federal government shutdowns should be treated as opportunities to cut both spending and regulation. So as we barrel toward a potential shutdown that will likely end with a resumption of COVID-era spending levels and $2 trillion deficits despite all the drama, let’s take a beat.

Each side blames the other for holding the federal government hostage over contentious continuing resolutions when fiscal-year deadlines approach, but the federal government does not truly shut down. Taxes are still withheld from paychecks and spent, federal borrowing continues, and many “essential” federal functions—functions that the GOP now in charge once weakly opposed—resume with renewed legitimacy upon reopening.

Yet a “clean” continuing resolution without challenging those supposedly abhorred programs from a GOP majority bestows even greater legitimacy.

The real crisis is not a temporary shutdown but a Congress acting far beyond its fiscal means and constitutional limits. Both parties reliably keep open even parts of government that should be shut down despite all the theater.

Government is now so large that, along with the debt limit, shutdowns may be the last remaining institutional pressure point to impose fiscal and regulatory restraint. By and large, these episodes are quickly forgotten when next elections roll around – and that should make them ripe for “exploitation” to taxpayers advantage by wise and forward-thinking policymakers.

Rather than seeing the GOP extract major concessions to begin dismantling the spending/regulation trap, we’re in a perplexing situation in which current spending is maintained in exchange for simply keeping the government open. The White House—via an undated and untitled memo to department heads and general counsels—ordered agencies to prepare Reduction in Force (RIF) plans that would extend well beyond conventional furloughs in the event of a shutdown (“With respect to those Federal programs whose funding would lapse and which are otherwise unfunded, such programs are no longer statutorily required to be carried out”). That infuriated House and Senate minority leaders and set off consternation in the media. But note this is not a condition of avoiding a shutdown; it is only to occur if one happens. This episode is a reminder that the very steps needed to pare back government surface only under duress—yet shutting down programs and agencies remains both the most necessary and the most difficult part of deconstruction.

The House of Representatives recently released the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. This legislation includes Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 extensions for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure critical VA functions continue beyond October 1, 2025. The Senate has rejected this bill and now the federal government has shutdown. Veterans, especially those with service-connected disabilities, the elderly, or experiencing homelessness, are now at risk.

CVA Executive Director John Vick last week urged Congress to prevent government shutdowns and endorsed the bill’s extension provisions to ensure vulnerable Americans, including members of the veteran community, don’t lose the lifesaving benefits they earned. In response to the shutdown, he issued the following statement:

“This government shutdown could be catastrophic for the veteran community, especially the most vulnerable among us, including vets who with service-connected disabilities, the 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.

First, the Senate must pass the Continuing Resolution and end this shutdown to ensure vulnerable Americans including veterans have continued lifesaving health care.

Further, Congress must end future threats of shutdowns through permanent solutions like the Preventing Government Shutdowns Act. This will allow 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 Senate Democrats to end this shutdown and to work with The House of Representatives to take shutdowns off the table. Government shutdowns don’t solve problems ― they make them worse. We’re calling on all lawmakers to do the right thing, for veterans and for America.”

Penny Nance: “Instead of voting on a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open for seven weeks, the Democrats are choosing to inflict pain on thousands of hardworking American families. They are holding the government hostage so they can extract another $1.5 trillion of taxpayer dollars for partisan Democrat policies that do not center on American families, like healthcare for illegal immigrants and extending taxpayer subsidies for gender mutilation procedures. Americans are the ones paying the price of this selfish, Democrat political game. The women I represent are not buying, and it needs to end now.”

“Instead of voting on a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open for seven weeks, the Democrats are choosing to inflict pain on thousands of hardworking American families. They are holding the government hostage so they can extract another $1.5 trillion of taxpayer dollars for partisan Democrat policies that do not center on American families, like healthcare for illegal immigrants and extending taxpayer subsidies for gender mutilation procedures. Americans are the ones paying the price of this selfish, Democrat political game. The women I represent are not buying, and it needs to end now.”

This statement on the shutdown of the federal government may be attributed to James
Edwards, Executive Director, Conservatives for Property Rights:

“The Democrats own the government shutdown. They would rather try to hurt President Trump than keep the government open. They’re demanding that extremist, exorbitant liberal policies be included in the continuing resolution, a short-term spending bill at present budget levels, as the price for keeping the government open. They’re hurting the American people, federal workers, small businesses, veterans and others, and it’s outrageous!

“The fact is that the House-passed clean CR is the same one Democrats voted for 6 months
ago and have done so repeatedly in recent years! Republicans in Congress and the White
House have acted responsibly. The Democrats should do the same—pass the clean CR, then
negotiate policies absent the hostage-taking drama.”

Whether responding to particular threats or simply at this time of heightened Antisemitism in the United States, police at every level collaborated during the Rosh HaShanah holiday to maintain a visible presence at synagogues across the country. We are grateful for their support of our beleaguered community.

It is troubling to imagine that during Yom Kippur, when Jews are still more concentrated in their synagogues throughout the day and particularly vulnerable, that officials at the U.S. DOJ & DHS in Washington might not be at their desks, pro-actively coordinating police protection and responding to any incidents that might arise on the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, due to a government shutdown. The shutdown will also harm the many families whose breadwinners are employed by the Federal government in civil service positions, when expenses are particularly high due to this holiday season.

We urge both parties to employ the necessary short-term measures to keep government open and functioning, while the parties work to resolve their differences regarding a final budget over the coming months.

The CPAC Combating Human Trafficking Coalition calls on the Democrats to re-open the government by supporting a clean, continuing resolution which will end the delay of resources for survivors of modern day slavery and support our law enforcement holding criminal traffickers accountable.

Our organization has strongly supported S. 2584, the Enduring Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which would permanently eliminate the sunset on a special fine collected from those convicted of human trafficking, sexual abuse, child exploitation, and related crimes. Human traffickers must be held accountable, and this assessment ensures those found guilty of modern day slavery pay a significant financial price for their crimes.

But now that the Democrats have shut down the government, the sunset provision has taken effect and these fines are no longer in place meaning trafficking offenders can walk away without financial accountability, denying victims the justice and resources they deserve. It is imperative that we reopen our government and return the tools to federal prosecutors to hold human traffickers accountable and support survivors of these horrific crimes.

“Shutting down the government is a short-term action that will have long-term consequences. We urge Congress to fulfill its responsibility to the American people by ensuring the government remains open and getting back to work on advancing meaningful legislation like a new Farm Bill.”

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.

The Unique Nature of Bureau of Prisons Operations

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.

This reality means that during a shutdown, thousands of correctional officers and staff are compelled to put their lives on the line each day without the certainty of a paycheck.

Impact on Correctional Staff and Families

Federal correctional officers are already facing a staffing crisis. Vacancies in many institutions have reached unsustainable levels, forcing mandatory overtime shifts that stretch officers beyond their limits. These conditions contribute to fatigue, burnout, and elevated safety risks.

A shutdown amplifies these problems dramatically:

• Working Without Pay: Officers must continue reporting for duty without receiving paychecks.

• Mortgages, car payments, childcare, and medical bills do not pause because Congress has failed to fund the government. Many officers live paycheck to paycheck, and forcing them into financial distress undermines morale and focus.
• Family Strain: Spouses and children of correctional staff experience the stress of unpaid work as acutely as the officers themselves. Families who already sacrifice greatly for public service are asked to shoulder additional burdens that are avoidable.
• Retention and Recruitment: The Bureau is struggling to compete with local and state law enforcement salaries. A shutdown signals instability and devalues the profession, making
• recruitment harder and driving experienced officers to seek employment elsewhere.

Risks to Institutional and Public Safety

The consequences of a shutdown are not limited to financial concerns—they ripple into security and safety:

• Staff Shortages: Many facilities are already operating at dangerously low staffing levels. The added stress of a shutdown accelerates resignations and absences, further depleting the workforce.
• Increased Violence: Understaffed prisons are more volatile. Officers are more vulnerable to assaults, and inmates are more likely to exploit weakened security. A shutdown magnifies these risks.
• Community Impact: Federal prisons do not operate in isolation. Failures within institutions spill over into the public—whether through contraband trafficking, gang coordination, or threats against law enforcement and citizens.

A Bipartisan Imperative

This issue transcends partisanship. Members from both sides of the aisle have consistently recognized the critical role of the Bureau of Prisons in safeguarding the public. Ensuring these officers are supported is not a Democratic or Republican issue—it is an American issue. Public safety cannot be compromised for political brinkmanship.

The men and women of the Bureau of Prisons do not have the luxury of walking away when government funding stalls. They cannot close their doors, work from home, or suspend services. They report for duty—every day, without fail—to protect their communities and uphold the rule of law.

The Call to Action

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 his 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.

I thank you for your service to our nation and urge you to demonstrate leadership by ensuring the Bureau of Prisons—and the safety of the communities it protects—are not undermined by a government shutdown.

Western Region Statement

The Council of Prisons Western Region, advocating for the brave men and women who serve in America’s federal prisons, extends our gratitude to @andybiggs4az and @RepCiscomani for voting YES, to pass a seven-week clean Continuing Resolution (CR). A common-sense measure that reflects an understanding that governance must prioritize the real people who uphold our justice system. We urge all of our elected leaders to swiftly follow suit before today’s deadline, and we call on them to support this CR and fulfill their constitutional duty to fund the government.

CRES strongly supports a clean continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open and the country operating at its full capacity. We strongly encourage Congress to pass the short-term CR and resolve policy differences through the appropriate legislative process. Unleashing American energy dominance requires all hands-on deck, including the federal government. Shutting down the government not only hurts our ability to advance American energy, it continues us down the path of increased reliance on foreign adversaries.

CCI recognizes that shutdowns are extremely difficult, placing a real strain on families, workers, and businesses.

They also risk slowing important legislative work to protect American consumers. We have achieved significant progress already when it comes to digital assets – GENIUS being signed into law, CLARITY passing the House in bipartisan fashion, the PWG Report, increased regulatory agency collaboration, and a true commitment to ensure US leadership.

Market Structure legislation is on its way to the finish line – the result of years of bipartisan collaboration. We respectfully urge Congress to come together to keep this momentum on track.

At Cummins, we recognize our responsibility of powering some of the country’s most economically vital applications, from the buses that take our kids to and from school to trucks that move critical goods. Our ability to deliver on our commitments to customers and contribute to the American economy is impacted by the government. As such, we ask the Congress to work together to keep the government running with the passage of a continuing resolution.

Today, Senate Democrats @SenateDems will have another opportunity to end the Schumer Shutdown and do the right thing for the American people. Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer @SenSchumer (D-NY) knows it’s wrong to disrupt vital services for veterans, the military, American workers and Americans with disabilities, among others.

Schumer has made these arguments dozens of times in the past, but he is now caving to pressure from the radical left because he fears they’ll mount a primary campaign against him in 2028. It’s time for Senate Democrats to put the American people first and reopen the government TODAY!

DSC and its members ask that Senators vote “yes” on the clean continuing resolution to keep the government funded and working for the American people.

Hunters and wildlife depend on the US government to approve numerous permits and other measures to continue our conservation work domestically and abroad. Senators please vote YES!

October 7: Military Credit Unions Blast Schumer Shutdown Ahead of Paycheck Pause for Active Duty Service Members

Credit unions for U.S. military service members are sounding the alarm on how the Democrats’ government shutdown is disrupting lives, arguing that troops “Shouldn’t have to worry about whether their next paycheck will arrive while they’re standing watch for our nation.”

The Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC), an organization representing over 180 credit unions with over 40 million memberships, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) exclusively told Breitbart News that the shutdown has had a major impact on military readiness as active-duty troops are set to stop getting paid next week.

“Shutdowns don’t just disrupt budgets—they disrupt lives,” DCUC chief advocacy officer Jason Stverak said. “Our troops shouldn’t have to worry about whether their next paycheck will arrive while they’re standing watch for our nation.”

“Credit Unions will be there for them, but it’s time for Congress to end the gridlock and get the government back to work,” Stverak added.

As the October 15 end of paychecks going to active-duty service members looms, Cotton blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for leading his fellow Democrats into forcing the shutdown, which entered its seventh day on Tuesday.

“Chuck Schumer cares more about avoiding a primary from AOC than he does about supporting our troops and ensuring they get their paychecks on time,” the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman said. “Schumer and the Democrats should end the Schumer Shutdown immediately.”

Another Senate source also exclusively told Breitbart News that the shutdown is a “disgrace” to those who serve in the military, and that President Donald Trump, Republicans, and military credit unions are doing everything they can to help.

“The fact that Democrats are willing to disrupt the lives of soldiers to push their far-left agenda is a disgrace. President Trump, the Administration, defense credit unions, and Republicans in Congress will do what they can,” the source said. “But it’s time for Democrats to do their jobs.”

Delta Waterfowl urges Congress to work towards passage of a continuing resolution to avoid interruption of critical government programs that deliver important conservation and hunting access programs for waterfowl hunters.

Passage of a continuing resolution would extend funding at the currently appropriated levels and allow all government offices and services to remain open, including operations of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

“We recognize the importance of our federal public lands to waterfowl and waterfowl hunters, especially as the fall migration and waterfowl hunting seasons begin,” said Jason Tharpe, Delta’s chief executive officer. “We’re urging the prompt passage of a continuing resolution to continue to fund government operations.”

With federal funding set to lapse at midnight, The Digital Chamber urges Congressional leaders to swiftly pass a continuing resolution and keep the government open. A shutdown would stall momentum on digital asset policy, delaying hearings and markups and slowing GENIUS Act implementation as Treasury, the SEC, and the CFTC limit activity to essential functions.

Mid October deadlines are at risk, including Treasury’s RFC on detecting illicit activity in digital assets, CFTC RFIs on tokenized collateral and the PWG’s recommendations, and Treasury’s ANPRM on GENIUS Act implementation, creating uncertainty for innovators, markets, and consumers. To protect U.S. competitiveness, consumers, and jobs, we urge Congress to fund the government and preserve critical
bipartisan progress.

Senate Democrats are threatening to disrupt millions of American lives by forcing us into a government shutdown, all over a clean and straightforward bipartisan bill that they supported just six months ago. Call your Democrat Senators. Urge them to keep the government open.

The federal government shutdown will have a significant and detrimental impact on the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the lead federal agency responsible for permitting, regulating and collecting taxes on distilled spirits.

Distillers cannot legally operate in the United States without a TTB-approved permit, and no distilled spirits product can enter the marketplace without a TTB-approved label. Many spirits products must also have their formulas approved by TTB.

Before a beverage alcohol product can be bottled and distributed across state lines, it must receive a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA), as required under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act.

In 2023 alone, TTB received nearly 198,000 label applications and 27,000 formula submissions for beverage alcohol products.

Distillers, large and small, rely on timely approvals to remain competitive in the marketplace. Any disruption to these services will directly hinder distillers’ ability to bring new products to market, expand into new states, or make necessary label changes.

The fall season is a critical time for spirits product launches and holiday planning. The shutdown will result in delayed product launches, missed market opportunities, lost sales and tax revenue, and lasting harm to the wider hospitality industry, which contributes significantly to the U.S. economy.

The distilled spirits industry generated $6.7 billion in federal excise tax revenue last year and supports more than 1.6 million jobs nationwide.

We urge Congress to act swiftly to resolve the shutdown and ensure uninterrupted operations at TTB to protect American consumers, distilleries of all sizes, and the broader U.S. economy.

The availability of public lands is paramount to hunters, anglers, hikers, and many other outdoor enthusiasts. A government shutdown would limit access to the outdoors for millions of Americans in national parks, national wildlife refuges, and many other areas designated for public recreation.

Likewise, a shutdown could disrupt ongoing projects to conserve and restore critical habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife that support our cherished outdoor traditions.

With hunting season already underway in some states and right around the corner for others, we urge Congress to come together and keep the government open for the benefit of all Americans.

We are now ten days into the Democrats’ government shutdown, and we applaud all Senate Republicans for staying united. Eagle Forum encourages Republicans to continue to hold the line on the House-passed “clean” CR.

Democrats are seeking to undo all the progress of the One Big, Beautiful Bill and Rescissions package. They are demanding an extension of the unaffordable Covid-era Obamacare insurance company subsidies that directly pay for abortions and gender mutilation surgeries on children. They even want to reinstate taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants that were eliminated in the OBBBA. Democrats are willing to shut down the government over these extreme policies while putting funding for the military, struggling women and children, veterans, border security enforcement and other essential government services at-risk.

As a reminder, Democrats voted for this exact CR more than a dozen times in the past. It’s clear to the American people who Democrats have chosen to serve: illegal immigrants, leftist media such as NPR, abortionists and doctors who permanently mutilate children. Republicans should continue to send the message to their constituents that they will not backtrack on the fiscal gains they instituted earlier this year, nor will they bend to the political whims of the Left. We encourage you to continue to do what is right for our nation, our children and our future.

For these reasons, Eagle Forum urges all Senators to pass the House-passed clean CR (H.R. 5371) and will add all votes on this matter going forward to our Congressional Scorecard. We also oppose extending the Un-Affordable Care Act Covid subsidies because they can be used to fund abortions and gender mutilation surgeries and are artificially propping up the real costs of Obamacare, which are unsustainable for our nation.

October 3: “Reminder: The House has already passed a clean CR. The Senate can – and should – advance the current spending levels to reopen the government and continue negotiations on full-year appropriations.”

October 2: Reminder: The House has already passed a clean CR. The Senate can – and should – advance the current spending levels to reopen the government and continue negotiations on full-year appropriations. Additional reading: https://epicforamerica.org/federal-budget/myth-buster-the-house-passed-cr-reflects-biden-spending-levels/

We urge Congress to find a swift resolution and prevent a government shutdown.

For public companies and the integrity of the US capital markets, the continuity of the SEC is non-negotiable. Delays in essential filings activities create regulatory uncertainty and impact investor confidence.

We need stable operations to ensure companies can File with Confidence. #GovernmentShutdown

September 30th – the last day of fiscal year 2025 – has arrived, and with it the specter of a government shutdown once again seems imminent.

To the vast majority of Americans on both sides of the political divide, a government shut down equates to failure and uncertainty.

A shutdown represents the failure of our elected leaders to plan, budget, negotiate, compromise, and to prioritize the stability of our country over partisan gamesmanship.

The uncertainty inherent in a government shutdown not only impacts the future of critical programs that Americans pay for and rely on, but can also destabilize markets in a way that interrupts supply chains, stifles innovation, and frustrates consumers. No one benefits from a government shutdown.

“Energy marketers keep America moving. A shutdown would jeopardize the timely delivery of fuel and coordination of emergency services, harming families and small businesses across the country. Congress must put consumers first and act immediately to pass a clean CR that protects essential energy services and avoids unnecessary disruption.”

“Family businesses across the country depend on stability and certainty to keep their doors open and workers employed. Passing a clean continuing resolution to immediately reopen the government should be a top priority for both parties. FBC urges Congress to put politics aside and prioritize the economic well-being of American family businesses and the workers who depend on them. Stability on Main Street depends on stability in Washington, DC.
Palmer Schoening, Chairman, Family Business Coalition

…In the latest episode of “Can We Stop a Government Shutdown?” Democrats, still stinging from the base’s rebuke after they cooperated on the last continuing resolution (CR), seem determined to snub any effort at bipartisanship — even though the bill is entirely reasonable. As Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reiterated, Republicans haven’t added explosive policy issues or changed much of the language from the last version that Schumer supported. And yet, “predictably and unfortunately,” the speaker shook his head, “there are some Democrats who are openly pining for a government shutdown.”

…A handful of tweaks — including funneling more money to public officials’ security — shouldn’t derail what is otherwise a straightforward package, the speaker argued. In the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, the Louisianan said he’s been “deluged” with requests from members for more protection. So, as part of the CR, $30 million would go toward executive branch protection, $30 million for legislative branch security, and $28 million for Supreme Court justices.

And yet, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is messaging that “Donald Trump and the Republican Party have launched an all-out assault on health care in this country,” an allegation that has nothing to do with the current CR. He’s hopeful that this charge, which goes back to their opposition to the president’s signature bill, will somehow stick to the GOP’s seven-week proposal that simply extends the funding that was approved under Joe Biden — long before Trump took office.

His party’s version of a stopgap measure, which Democrats released mid-week, is almost comical, Republicans point out. Instead of bridging the gap to the next shutdown, Jeffries and Schumer propose rolling back the One Big Beautiful Bill and reinstating $1.4 trillion in spending — about as unserious a package as the Left has ever offered….

October 2: Re: Ending the Government Shutdown is Necessary for National Security and Public Safety

Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Jeffries, Minority Leader
Schumer, and Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees:

I am writing as President of the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), which represents over 14,000 active and retired FBI Special Agents. Our mission is to advance and safeguard the careers, conditions of employment, and welfare of rank-and-file Special Agents, enabling them to effectively protect the American public.

I write today to urge Congress to fund the federal government and end the shutdown. For FBI
Special Agents, avoiding a shutdown is not a political issue—it is about fulfilling our mission,
upholding the Constitution, and protecting the American people. If a shutdown does occur,
however, Congress should provide an exemption for federal law enforcement so that FBI Special Agents and others can continue safeguarding our nation without the added burden of financial uncertainty or constrained operations.

Special Agents dedicate their lives to protecting our country from criminals and terrorists who threaten our safety, economy, and way of life. We are honored to serve and protect the public.

However, government shutdowns undermine our ability to perform these duties. Weakening the FBI places our country in peril at a time when the nation faces an unprecedented range of national security and criminal threats.

FBI Special Agents put their lives on the line every day in service of our country. The risks they
take and the burdens they bear are also shared by their families. The public can rest assured that, no matter what Congress does, Agents will continue their vital work to protect our country.

However, past shutdowns have shown that they create operational problems that could undermine our ability to thwart fentanyl traffickers, fight terrorism, and conduct a broad range of criminal investigations that protect our most vulnerable citizens. Some of the specific ways a shutdown affects our Agents and operations include:

1. During a shutdown, the FBI is forced to reduce its on operational expenses. From
   experience, we know this leads to disruptions in both ongoing and new FBI investigations, including surveillance, forensic analysis, and field operations. A shutdown also undermines the FBI’s ability to partner with state, local, and international law enforcement agencies, hindering joint efforts to combat fentanyl distribution, investigate violent crimes against children, fight human trafficking, address illegal immigration, and counter cyber threats.
2. FBI Special Agents are subject to high security standards that include rigorous and routine financial background checks. Missing debt payments during a shutdown due to lack of a paycheck could create delays in securing or renewing Agents’ security clearances and, in some cases, could even disqualify Agents from continuing to serve.
3. Pay uncertainty undermines the FBI’s ability to recruit and retain high-caliber
   professionals. The financial insecurity caused by a shutdown and failure to fund the FBI
   could deter highly skilled Agent applicants and lead current Agents to consider career
   options that provide more stability for their families.

The FBIAA strongly urges Congress to end the dangerous government shutdown, and fully fund the FBI. Our national security depends on it. If the shutdown continues, we urge Congress to pass a special exemption for federal law enforcement so Agents can be paid while they continue protecting the United States without interruption. FBI Special Agents will never waver in their commitment to safeguard the nation, and we hope Congress ensures that this vital work is not compromised.

Sincerely,
Natalie Bara
President, FBIAA

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) is urging Congress to act quickly to pass a continuing resolution and avert a government shutdown that would unfairly burden the federal law enforcement community and jeopardize public safety.

“Federal law enforcement officers will continue to show up and protect this country, even when the government shuts down, but it’s unacceptable to ask them to do so without pay,” said Mathew Silverman, National President of FLEOA. “While the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 ensures we will eventually receive back pay, that does nothing to help families make ends meet in the middle of a shutdown. Missed or delayed paychecks still mean missed mortgage payments, empty refrigerators, and mounting stress.”

Unlike many federal employees who are furloughed during a shutdown, federal law enforcement officers are considered “essential” and are legally obligated to work without receiving their scheduled pay until the government reopens. At the same time, the absence of support personnel forces these officers to take on additional administrative duties, pulling them away from critical investigations and enforcement operations.

“We’re out there every day disrupting violent criminal networks, stopping the flow of deadly fentanyl, and protecting our communities,” said Silverman. “But during a shutdown, we’re also being asked to fill administrative gaps left by furloughed colleagues. It’s not just a hardship, it’s a dangerous distraction.”

Congress should not be playing the political brinksmanship that repeatedly brings the nation to the edge of a shutdown. We urge lawmakers to fulfill their most basic responsibility: keeping the government funded and operational.

FLEOA stands ready to work with the administration and Congress to find common ground and take the necessary steps to avoid a government shutdown. As the voice of our nation’s federal law enforcement officers, we are committed to doing our part to ensure the continuity of government operations and the safety and security of the American people.

October 1st Statement:

“We Continue to Serve, But Deserve Better”

In response to the federal government shutdown that began today, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) is calling on Congress to end this avoidable crisis and immediately pass a continuing resolution or the FY 2026 regular appropriations bills to restore full government operations.

“Federal law enforcement officers are once again being asked to do the impossible – protect this country without a paycheck,” said Mathew Silverman, National President of FLEOA. “We are on duty today. We’ll be on duty tomorrow. But no public servant should be forced to bear the financial burdens caused by the current political gridlock while they are working to keep our nation safe.”

Under the current shutdown, federal law enforcement officers who are all classified as “essential” are required to continue working without pay, while many support staff are furloughed. This not only places financial stress on officers and their families, but also undermines operational readiness and public safety.

“Even as we face threats from violent criminal organizations and the flow of deadly narcotics like fentanyl, we’re being asked to shoulder additional administrative duties due to furloughs,” Silverman continued. “This isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a dangerous distraction from the critical work we do every day.”

While the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 guarantees back pay once the government reopens, that offers little relief to officers currently trying to manage household expenses, mortgage payments, and childcare costs with no income in sight.

FLEOA urges Congress to set aside political differences and fulfill its most basic responsibility: ensuring the government remains open and functioning. The safety of the American people, and the wellbeing of the officers who protect them, should never be used as leverage in a partisan standoff.

“We remain committed to our mission,” said Silverman. “But commitment does not mean silence. We will continue to speak out until this shutdown ends and our officers receive the respect and the pay that they deserve.”

FLEOA stands ready to work with both Congress and the administration to restore full government operations and prevent future shutdowns that put our nation’s security and federal employees at risk.

October 3: Free Healthcare for Illegals Would End America, Op-ed

The current government shutdown drama in Washington is far from unprecedented, but it may be the most absurd of these fights in recent history. On which political hill do President Donald Trump’s opponents in Congress profess themselves willing to die? The right of millions of foreign nationals who illegally entered the country to access taxpayer-funded healthcare services.

While Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries may see themselves as latter-day Jimmy Stewarts nobly fighting for the underdog in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, they are again on the wrong side of an issue that, if they got their way, would put the country on a glide path to its demise.

The late economist, Nobel laureate, and free market icon Milton Friedman famously warned, “You can have open immigration or universal healthcare, but you cannot have both.” His words are more relevant today than ever. Offering free healthcare to those who enter the country illegally is a recipe for fiscal insolvency and a transparent ploy to import voters favorable to left-wing causes and candidates.

A nation with porous borders cannot sustain universal healthcare without collapsing under the weight of unchecked demand. The United States already spends almost $5 trillion annually on healthcare, with programs like Medicare and Medicaid straining under the burden of serving both citizens and legal residents. Adding millions of illegal aliens to these rolls would explode costs, overwhelm providers, and erode the system’s ability to serve those who have paid into it for decades.

The math cannot be spun any other way. My organization, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, estimates that there are more than 18 million illegal aliens in the U.S., a figure that grew significantly due to the Biden administration’s lax border enforcement. If even half of this population accesses taxpayer-funded healthcare, the cost could easily surpass $100 billion per year, based on per-capita healthcare spending for low-income Americans.

This is not a one-time expense, of course, but a perpetual obligation. Moreover, any return to open borders under a future president would invite an endless stream of new beneficiaries. No nation, no matter how wealthy, can absorb such costs without raising taxes to crippling levels, slashing other essential services, or spiraling into debt. The result? A fiscal death spiral that undermines the economic stability Americans rely on, as well as major effects on global economic and security conditions.

Just a few months before his assassination, Charlie Kirk echoed Friedman’s warning on the existential threat to the nation from offering social services to illegals, saying “You cannot simultaneously have domestic generosity with unruly invasion. They are a contradiction … We are naively then subsidizing our own demise.”

Beyond the numbers, the policy itself is a political gimmick dressed in moral garb. Anti-borders politicians argue that healthcare for illegal aliens is a matter of compassion, but their motives are less altruistic than they appear. By incentivizing illegal migration with free benefits, they create a pipeline of future voters who, through amnesty or lax enforcement, are likely to vote for candidates who support more amnesty, more open borders and more resulting mayhem.

Enacting healthcare for illegals would also be the death knell for the Westernized medical care standards we have come to expect. Flooding the system with new patients would exacerbate existing shortages of doctors, nurses, and hospital beds. Wait times, already a problem in many areas, would balloon, leaving citizens—taxpayers who fund the system—struggling to access care. Rural hospitals, already closing at an alarming rate, would face even greater strain. The quality of care would decline as providers are stretched thin, and resentment would grow among Americans who see their contributions devalued to subsidize those who broke the law to enter the country.

Proponents might argue that denying healthcare to illegal aliens is inhumane, but this ignores the fundamental principle of sovereignty. Nations exist to serve their citizens, not the world at large. Every dollar spent on noncitizens is a dollar taken from veterans, the elderly, or struggling families. The U.S. cannot be the world’s hospital without inevitably collapsing.
The solution is not more pork-filled legislation, but enforcing existing immigration law. Secure borders, manageable legal immigration levels, and a healthcare system prioritized for citizens and legal residents would uphold fairness and fiscal sanity. A government shutdown, while temporarily disruptive, is a small price to pay compared to the long-term devastation of unchecked illegal migration paired with universal healthcare.

Milton Friedman’s warning was not a prediction but a principle: open borders and universal welfare are incompatible. The anti-borders faction in Congress is steering the nation toward insolvency and division, all while cloaking their motives in false compassion. The American people deserve leaders who prioritize citizens, protect the treasury, and reject political gamesmanship disguised as charity. Anything less is a path to national suicide.

October 2: Statement by FAIR on the Federal Government Shutdown over Healthcare Benefits for Illegal Aliens

The following is a statement from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) regarding the federal government being shut down in order to provide benefits for illegal aliens.

“Incredibly, Congressional Democrats not only shut the federal government down over providing illegal aliens with public benefits and tax credits, but are continuing to put illegal aliens over American citizens by holding fast to their demands.

Passing a clean CR that keeps the federal government functioning is the right thing to do. Instead of providing illegal aliens with Medicaid, Medicare, and Obamacare tax credits, Congressional Democrats should focus on American interests and protecting the livelihoods of federal workers who are not able to do their jobs because of their radical, anti-borders demands.

Funding the federal government should never be held hostage to protecting benefits for illegal aliens.”

“When the federal government shuts down, uncertainty begins immediately. Families, federal workers—including active-duty military—people who work for federal contractors and seniors suddenly face impossible choices not knowing if paychecks or food benefits will arrive on time. Many people in America are a single missed paycheck away from needing support from their local food banks.

A prolonged shutdown will deepen the strain, and more families will seek help at a time when food banks are already stretched due to sustained high need. The Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 faith-based and charitable food pantries and programs will continue to open our doors for people across the country, but ensuring no one goes hungry will require all of us to work together.

Now more than ever, we need to stand united—lawmakers, businesses, faith and community organizations and individuals. We urge Congress to end the shutdown. Shutdowns, especially those that are prolonged, create instability in people’s lives each day they continue and could force many to make impossible choices between putting food on the table and paying their bills. If you or someone you know might be impacted by the shutdown, you can find support through your local food bank at feedingamerica.org/needhelp.”

Please contact your representative in the United States Congress to ask them to do the right thing and support the renewal of funding for essential programs that would affect billions of Americans.

“We urge the Senate to act immediately and end this government shutdown, which began today at 12:01 a.m., by passing the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. Restoring government operations will provide the certainty farm families need and allow vital work, including Farm Bill 2.0 negotiations, to continue without interruption.

Florida’s farmers and ranchers are left to bear the consequences. Producers already dealing with high input costs, volatile markets and threats to their crops and livestock now face disruptions to critical USDA services including disaster assistance, conservation programs and animal health protection. These services are essential to keeping farm families secure and our food supply strong.”

Funding for the U.S. federal government expired at 11:59 PM on September 30, triggering the first government shutdown since 2018.

With the shutdown now in its second day, hundreds of thousands of federal government employees and U.S. service members will temporarily work without pay; the Smithsonian Institutions and national parks may be closed; and Social Security benefits may be delayed.

On September 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371 (the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026) in a 217-212 vote to extend government funding at current levels through November 21, 2025. The “clean” continuing resolution (CR) would extend current government funding levels, without any modifications, allowing negotiations to proceed while the government is reopened.

But Senate Democrats opposed the measure, and as a result, the U.S. Senate failed to pass H.R. 5371 in a 55-45 vote on September 30. Senators. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) were the only Democrats to vote for the CR, which needed 60 votes.
Democrats proposed their own CR with spending increases on certain pet projects.

According to the Republican Study Committee, the alternative CR included the following provisions:
• $1.5 trillion in new spending, which would fuel inflation and explode the debt.
• $350 billion to permanently extend fraudulent COVID-era subsidies that enable abortion coverage and so-called “gender transition” procedures.
• Free Medicaid for 1.2 million illegal aliens while American families struggle to afford care.
• $500 million to restore funding for NPR and PBS.
• Reversing President Trump’s spending cuts in order to fund wasteful programs like global LGBTQI+ awareness campaigns.
• Stripping the President’s constitutional authority to eliminate government waste.

“Congressional Democrats are willing to shut down the government if they do not get funding for abortion,” Liberty Counsel Action said in a statement about the shutdown. “Democrats are demanding Republicans cave to their demands to pass their wish list that funds death.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “America’s Newsroom” that Democrats should pass a “clean” CR to reopen the government. “If they don’t want further harm to their constituents back home, then they need to reopen the government,” she said.
“It’s very simple,” Leavitt added. “Pass the clean continuing resolution and all of this goes away.”

Previous government shutdowns have lasted between a day and several weeks:
• 34 days in December 2018
• Two days in January 2018
• 16 days in September 2013
• 21 days in December 1995
• Five days November 1995

If a funding bill is eventually approved, federal government employees, including service members, will be paid for all hours they have worked during the shutdown.
How long with this shutdown last? It remains to be seen. But Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said he expects it to go on for at least a few more days.

“The House is coming back next week, hoping [the Senate] will be sending us something to work on, that we can get back to the work of the people,” Johnson said. “They’re anxious to come back.” Congressional Democrats likely feel shutting down the government is the only way to act on some of their priorities.

However, elections have consequences. Last year, the American people opted to give Republicans unified control of the federal government. Opting to shut down the government likely won’t help Democrats regain control any time soon.

Democrats are withholding pay from our military until America gives healthcare to millions of non-Americans. This is a renegotiation of Obamacare that even The Washington Post described plainly: “The real problem is that the Affordable Care Act was never actually affordable.” The American people voted for America-first. The America-last agenda of the Democrats is so far Left that even the fake news is telling the truth.

Frontline Government Relations stands with President Trump and the White House, championing a clean CR to keep government open for you – hardworking Americans, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who sacrifice to build the American Dream – before tonight’s deadline.

Democrats are playing political games at a time when President Trump is committing $50 million to harness AI for breakthroughs in pediatric cancer diagnostics, treatments, and precision medicine, securing an agreement to slash Medicaid drug prices and make medicine affordable again, and forging peace deals in the Middle East.

From AI cancer research to big Pharms to global hotspots, President Trump is delivering the art of the deal once again to bring us together. The only group refusing to work together to strike a deal for the American People is the Democratic Party.

It’s time to keep our government open for America.

Frontline Strategies joins calls urging Congress to remain open, and pass a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the Federal Government. A shutdown not only threatens the livelihood of millions of Americans – it shakes the faith in America held by out citizens and allies alike. A shutdown unnecessarily harms American families, American Businesses, halts critical investments and research, and puts us on a path of uncertainty. Democrats risk the economic miracle of unprecedented growth the Trump Administration has fostered these past months with a shutdown. The cost is too high. And will be borne by hardworking Americans who never asked for this. We urge Democrats to come to the table and work with Republicans to pass a clean Continuing Resolution, and stop playing political games with the livelihoods of American Citizens.

“Washington should follow Georgia’s example and pass a clean Continuing Resolution to end the federal shutdown.”

Chuck Schumer is threatening a #SchumerShutdown if he doesn’t get $1.5 trillion for illegal aliens and leftist policies. This is yet another instance of democrats putting illegal aliens above the American people. Disgraceful!

As a property owner working to revitalize historic buildings and provide new housing opportunities, The Gulf Tower of Pittsburg urges Congress to avoid a government shut down. Addressing the housing crisis is a bipartisan issue. However, a shutdown will stall critical housing programs, disrupt financing tools for developers, and delay much-needed projects that will help alleviate America’s housing crisis. Slowing the transformation of underutilized buildings into homes will impact American families facing an unprecedented housing affordability crisis and workers, contractors, and local economies, who depend on steady jobs. Congress must act to keep the government open so that developers and communities can continue building solutions to the nation’s housing challenges.

Half a Million Kids urges our elected officials to avoid a shutdown.

For the first time in our country’s history, we miraculously have a chance to put cutting edge systems and plans in place that will truly protect and provide for the hundreds of thousands of children in foster care in our nation, many of whom are vulnerable to child sex trafficking.

We anticipate that a shutdown will cause the nonpartisan team in action now to lose their great momentum toward life-saving solutions, the loss of which will continue to put our nation’s foster and trafficked children at great risk.

The solution is a Continuing Resolution, which is a simple mechanism that solely extends time much like overtime in football where more time is allotted to finish the game. Please support finishing the game so we can ensure all children a safe and loving home. Contact your Senator before midnight tonight (Sept. 30) and urge their vote in favor of the continuing resolution. U.S. Senate.

“Weeks after Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans passed a clean continuing resolution, Democrats—under the ‘leadership’ of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries—are continuing their embarrassing tantrum. Shutting down the government over health care for illegal aliens isn’t some noble stand; it’s a sabotage of the mandate the American people gave to President Trump in November. This sad attempt to revive rock-bottom poll numbers and stave off primary challenges from socialists in their party won’t end well for them. The House has acted. It’s time for Senate Democrats to save themselves from their leadership and end their government shutdown.”

The federal government is scheduled to shut down at midnight tonight. Funding for the fiscal year 2025 runs out, and Congress is poised to once again pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government operating for part of fiscal year 2026.

The current state of play does not look good. The House of Representatives, led by conservatives, passed a continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through November 21, 2025. However, the Senate needs 60 votes to pass a filibuster and move to a final vote on the measure, meaning that some Democrats would have to join all Republicans in supporting the measure. The Left is leveraging the threat of a government shutdown to undo spending cuts enacted earlier this year.

This time, the shutdown lies wholly at the feet of Democrats in Congress. They are attempting to stop conservatives from good governance and fiscal restraint.

Here are three things to know about this potential government shutdown.

1. This CR does not cut funding. This continuing resolution continues federal spending for FY 2026 at current FY 2025 levels, which, by the way, are 50% more than in 2019. As my colleague Kamryn Brunner explained, “Federal outlays are estimated to reach $7.02 trillion in 2025, a 58% increase over 2019 federal spending. Six years’ worth of spending increases have happened since 2019, including pandemic emergency spending, the Inflation Reduction Act, the CARES Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, among others.” That’s an enormous increase in spending. American families’ incomes didn’t go up 50% over that time period. While the pandemic has long ended, added spending has not been ratcheted back down, but it should.
2. This is a “clean” CR that avoids contentious policy fights. The CR does not contain contentious policy or spending provisions or riders that are meant to force the opposing side to take public votes on issues they would rather not have on record. As Speaker Mike Johnson explained, “This CR is the same short-term funding extension that virtually all Democrats voted to pass 13 times during the Biden Administration.” So, what makes this CR different from the over a dozen times they voted for a clean CR in the past?
3. This CR clears the way for a budget to be passed—finally. This CR allows for the appropriations bills already passed by all 12 House committees to work through the Senate. This means that Congress would finally pass a budget, and in that budget, Congress can make permanent reductions to federal agencies and programs, making much-needed cuts to federal spending. Congress is finally operating through regular order, and passing this clean CR gives them more time to do that.

What the Left Wants

Democrats are holding this continuing resolution hostage in an effort to restore spending cuts over this year for partisan and even radical agenda items. Their proposal would add an additional $1.5 trillion of spending to this four-week funding bill. They want to:

• Restore free health care for illegal immigrants that was ended by the recent tax cut package (One Big, Beautiful Bill Act).
• Restore $500 million in taxpayer funding to left-leaning news outlets.
• Restore billions in funding for DEI and climate projects in foreign countries through USAID.

These are policy fights that the Left lost when conservatives won last November. Now is not the time to make Americans needlessly suffer.

As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said back on September 16, 2024:

If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most. A government shutdown means seniors who rely on Social Security could be thrown into chaos as the Social Security Administration limits certain services, like benefit verifications or fixing errors in payments. Our veterans could see regional VA offices shut down and support services put on hold. Some of our military service members could be forced to work without pay. Families who benefit from WIC and other nutrition programs could see benefits halted. And a shutdown would shake the confidence of our economic recovery, something we can’t possibly afford at a time like this. If the Left said we could not afford a shutdown last September, then why are they willing to let the government shut down now?

Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women:

“Our nation is buckling under too much federal debt and runaway deficit spending. So why are Democrats shutting down the government to shovel more taxpayer money at wasteful and unpopular government giveaways like National Public Radio? It’s absurd. Spending is up more than 50 percent from just 6 years ago. We need to cut spending, not increase it. That process starts by passing a clean CR so Congress can get back to actual budget debates in front of the American people. The president and Congress should reject Democrats’ attempts to hold the federal government ransom and force them to waste Americans’ money.”

“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.”

Government shutdowns don’t just impact Washington – they delay ATF permits and background checks critical to the commercial explosives industry. These delays ripple across construction, mining, and energy production, costing jobs, time, and progress. IME is urging Congress and the Administration to work together on legislation that prevents shutdowns altogether. In the meantime, we’ve sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting ATF Director Dan Driscoll, calling on the Administration to designate employees who process background checks and license applications as essential to keep our industry moving forward. #explosivesbuildamerica

Government shutdowns are the ultimate lose-lose situation. Regardless of the budget battles in Washington, federal fire fighters show up to work every day to protect military installations, airfields, and government offices.

A shutdown means fire fighters are denied pay for their hard work. Fire fighters deserve to know their pay won’t be held up because of partisan battles. The @IAFFofficial urges Congress to pass a bipartisan, clean continuing resolution that keeps the government open. A clean continuing resolution isn’t about politics – it’s the responsible path forward while Congress completes its full-year appropriations bills and fulfills commitments made to those standing on the front lines of public safety.

“The shutdown is now it its second day and is harming new and existing franchise business owners from accessing critical financing from @SBAgov programs like 7a & 504. A clean CR is the quickest way to reopen programs critical to America’s 800,000 small business franchise owners.”

The harm government shutdowns cause Americans is bipartisan. Reopening the government should be bipartisan, too. Americans voted last November to stop the free handouts to illegal aliens, and Republicans listened. It’s time for Democrats to listen, too, and pass the clean CR to…

“While a government shutdown has adverse implications for many, it is especially detrimental to farmers and ranchers across the U.S., who utilize government programs, services, and expertise to assist with running productive and profitable operations — the same farmers and ranchers responsible for feeding our nation and those around the globe. On behalf of the Iowa cattle producer members we serve, we encourage legislators to act swiftly to find a resolution to this shutdown.”

IperionX is at a critical juncture to reshore an All-American and low-cost supply chain for titanium, a critical mineral essential to U.S. national security.

A government shutdown would hurt the Department of War’s important work, including the Administration’s efforts toward revitalizing America’s industrial base.

Now is the time for lawmakers to come together to pass legislation before October 1 to keep our government funded and open.

Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of Job Creators Network, released the following statement in support of the House of Representatives’ continuing resolution and the potential government shutdown:

“Senate Democrats are holding basic government operations and the small businesses that depend on them hostage to taxpayer payoffs to the crony health insurance industry. By refusing to adopt the House’s sensible continuing resolution, Senate Democrats are putting their big health insurance donors above the interests of small businesses and ordinary Americans. If Senate Democrats succeed in shutting down the government, they will own the consequences. Voters in Senate swing states such as Michigan,

North Carolina, and Georgia will make them pay at the ballot box next year for this Schumer shutdown.”

If a partial government shutdown happens because of Leftists, @RealDonaldTrump should protect taxpayers by laying off government workers whose jobs are unneeded and unfunded under law. In fact, he has a positive constitutional obligation to so. If funding starts up again, the administration can consider which former government employees, if anyone, should be rehired.

America’s food producers and the seasonal workers who support them deserve certainty, not gridlock. LaborMex urges the Senate to come together, pass a clean CR, and keep our food supply chain moving forward.

As Democrats threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans, on behalf of Hispanic Americans we urge them to join with President Donald J. Trump and Republicans, and keep the government functioning for the people it serves.

October 3: “Latinos for Trump Founder Steals the Spotlight at Press Briefing by Calling for ‘Siesta Fiesta’ in Wild Moment” Latinos for Trump co-founder Bianca Gracia took center stage at a Friday White House press briefing, catching White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt by surprise as she called for a “siesta fiesta” on the South Lawn.

At the press briefing, Leavitt had to make clear she did not know Gracia beforehand following the activist’s fiery question (she called on her as the person “yelling in the back.”) Gracia also serves as a contributor to Newsmax.

Gracia accused Democrats of “choosing illegals over hard-working Hispanic Americans” while asking whether President Donald Trump would approve of a Hispanic Heritage Month event taking place at the White House following the administration cancelling the event.

An event to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month was recently postponed due to the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Gracia asked Leavitt:

This week the Democrats have chosen illegals over hardworking Hispanic Americans during Hispanic Heritage Month, causing the White House to cancel the celebration with the president. Is the president open to letting the Hispanics, who overwhelmingly voted for him, have their own siesta fiesta on the White House lawn, opposed to the fancy, you know — we don’t need fancy-shmancy, you can give us the backyard and we’ll fill it all in and have our own fiesta. Is the president open to that?

“I had no idea she was going to ask that question,” a surprised Leavitt said as the room erupted in laughter. “I just want to preface that. I’ve never met you. I just want to say that. I love your energy.”

Leavitt noted the current construction taking place at the White House and said the event would be back in the “planning stages” once the government reopens.

“I can’t personally unilaterally promise the South Lawn grounds,” she said. “We have some construction going on out there, but I do think, I know that everyone here views it as very unfortunate we had to cancel or hopefully just reschedule the Hispanic American Heritage Month event, and it’s because we are working around the clock during this government shutdown. So when the Democrats vote to reopen the government that event will be back in the planning stages.”

October 2: 🚨 AMERICA FIRST MEANS AMERICANS OVER ILLEGALS! 🚨

While Democrats PLAYS GAMES, President Trump is laser-focused on YOU—the hardworking families of this GREAT NATION. He stands ready to sign clean legislation to protect FLOOD INSURANCE, fund VETERANS’ healthcare, and support programs OUR COMMUNITIES depend on.

Millions of Americans—our heroes, seniors, OUR CHILDREN—need action NOW. It’s time for the Senate to prioritize PEOPLE OVER PARTISANSHIP and prevent a shutdown that would disrupt lives and futures.

Our movement is about America FIRST. Americans over ILLEGALS. Let’s demand it! 🙌🏼

“Democrats are willing to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. This government shutdown is making Americans suffer. And this extreme action by the Democrat leadership is solely to satisfy a radical base led by AOC to subsize illegal immigration and abortion. Sen. Chuck Schumer is afraid that AOC will challenge him in a primary and has thus become a puppet of an anti-American agenda. Funding abortion, illegal immigration, and DEI projects in foreign nations with an additional one trillion dollars of debt is unacceptable. The American people will not forget this betrayal. Tell the Senate to pass a clean continuing resolution today.”

-Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman, Liberty Counsel

October 3: “As we enter day-two of the Democrat-caused government shutdown, families who rely on the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program are bracing for benefit delays; our troops, TSA workers and Border Patrol agents are bracing for missed pay checks, and other federal workers are bracing themselves for imminent layoffs.

All because Democrats refuse to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR).

The political theater needs to end. If Democrat leadership remains obstinate, hardworking Americans will pay the price. Call your Democrat Senators now and urge them to end the shutdown by voting in favor of the CLEAN CR they previously supported.”

-John Stemberger, President, Liberty Counsel Action

October 2: “As we enter day-two of the Democrat-caused government shutdown, families who rely on the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program are bracing for benefit delays; our troops, TSA workers and Border Patrol agents are bracing for missed pay checks, and other federal workers are bracing themselves for imminent layoffs.

All because Democrats refuse to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR).

The political theater needs to end. If Democrat leadership remains obstinate, hardworking Americans will pay the price. Call your Democrat Senators now and urge them to end the shutdown by voting in favor of the CLEAN CR they previously supported.”

-John Stemberger, President, Liberty Counsel Action

October 2: Congressional Democrats are willing to shut down the government if they do not get funding for abortion. Tonight, current spending levels will expire if there is no continuing resolution (CR). Democrats are demanding Republicans cave to their demands to pass their wish list that funds death.

This is the breaking point when “nonessential” programs get exposed — or when members smuggle abortion and other anti-life provisions into “must-pass” funding.

Shutdowns create unnecessary uncertainty and harm American families, small businesses, and the economy. They also disrupt essential federal services, delay budget processes, and drive wasteful omnibus spending packages that sideline meaningful debate and reform.

Sandra Benitez, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, issued the following statement:

“Government shutdowns don’t solve problems — they make them worse. Latinos and all Americans pay the price when shutdown brinkmanship leads to bloated spending, uncertainty, and erodes trust in Congress. Instead of lurching from one crisis to the next, lawmakers should adopt practical solutions like the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act that extend funding, keep Congress in session, and ensure a more transparent, bottom-up appropriations process.

By putting an end to shutdown threats, Congress can focus on the real work of reducing waste, growing our economy, prioritizing fiscal responsibility, and advancing policies that strengthen our economy towards greater opportunity and prosperity for every community — including the Hispanic community that continues to power America’s growth.”

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, sponsored by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), would automatically extend government funding at current levels until Congress completes its appropriations work, avoiding unnecessary disruptions and providing stability for families, businesses, and the economy.As Democrats threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans, on behalf of Hispanic Americans we urge them to join with President Donald J. Trump and Republicans, and keep the government functioning for the people it serves.

FACT: The House passed a clean extension of current government funding levels through November.

If Democrats block this commonsense bill – which is what the radical Left wants them to do – the government will shut down at midnight.

Make no mistake, this is a #DemocratShutdown.

In the midst if harvest and field work, most farmers aren’t focused on politics. However, farmers do rely on agencies and offices through USDA and other government services for essential partnerships. In such a critical time for agriculture, on the cusp of an economic crisis that we’ve been warning Washington D.C. about for quite some time, the last thing farmers need is their government to not be operating when they need them most. We appreciate both Congress and the White House for the support they’ve shown agriculture. But if that support is closed for business, it will only add to the quandary agriculture is in.

This is not about politics, it’s about protecting PEOPLE, especially our children. Families deserve a government that stands guard, not one that shuts down and leaves women and kids paying the price. When government stalls, exploitation thrives. We must keep America strong, secure and funded to protect the most vulnerable. We urge the Senate to pass a CLEAN Continuing Resolution because predators don’t wait, and neither can we. #KidsFirst

The Warriors urge our elected officials to avoid a shutdown. Predators don’t shut down. A gov’t shutdown leaves the most vulnerable unprotected & that is unacceptable. Contact your Senator before midnight tonight & urge their vote in favor of the continuing resolution.

Dems scream about a “shutdown” but shrug when our border is wide open, our kids are targeted online and families drown in inflation and can’t feed their kids properly. Maybe they should shut down their hypocrisy first. #Congress #ProtectOurChildren @WhiteHouse

Trafficking Never Takes a Furlough. Step up Democrats. Momentum on urgent bills like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) slows when Congress is consumed with budget battles. Child safety reforms get shoved aside while political fights dominate. #EndItNow #KidsNotPolitics

“The economy does not need additional uncertainty and a federal government shutdown would create a ripple effect of uncertainty for employers, workers, and communities across Maine. Essential services that families and businesses rely on would be disrupted, undermining confidence and exacerbating a slowing economy.

The impacts of a shutdown could extend from delayed federal contracts and services to the possibility of closing Acadia National Park during the height of leaf-peeping season — a closure that would impact the local economy and harm small businesses that depend on fall visitors.

We strongly encourage both parties to work together quickly to resolve this impasse, pass a continuing resolution now, and avoid further self-inflicted setbacks to Maine’s economy and America’s competitiveness.”

The energy industry relies on thousands of companies working seamlessly within a regulatory framework—driving efficiency, supporting innovation, and protecting the safety of millions of hardworking men and women who keep our industry moving forward.

At MCR Oil Tools, we are proud to provide critical technologies that help our industry operate safely and reliably. But these efforts depend on stability. A government shutdown creates unnecessary uncertainty for businesses, workers, and the communities we serve.

We urge Congress to find a resolution and reopen the government. A stable government is essential to energy security, continued innovation, and America’s future.

Energy #MCROilTools #Leadership #Government

A government shutdown is disruptive to meat and poultry companies whose daily operations require government oversight. We urge leaders on both sides of the aisle to avoid a shutdown.

October 3: “Stability matters. A federal shutdown would hurt Michigan families, businesses & communities. We call on the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass a clean CR.”

October 2: “Michigan families and job creators can’t afford the instability of a federal shutdown. Protracted political debates and dysfunction in Washington create uncertainty and risk negatively impacting Michigan communities, schools, and business districts.

Continued inaction could lead to long term and broadly felt consequences. Delays in federal permitting, infrastructure investment, and workforce programs will harm Michigan competitiveness as a global leader of manufacturing and industry. We urge Congress to act quickly in ending the government shutdown to protect Michigan businesses and hardworking taxpayers.”

-Jim Holcomb, President and CEO

As Michigan’s largest general farm organization, Michigan Farm Bureau is closely monitoring budget developments on Capitol Hill. We urge swift action to reopen the government and restore certainty for farmers. Reopening USDA offices and other services is critical as our members harvest fall crops and make decisions for the upcoming year.

“From our local USDA staff to the market news cattle producers rely on daily, there are numerous government services that would halt if the government shuts down. The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association strongly urges the Senate to pass the House continuing resolution that funds the government and avoids a shutdown. We appreciate all the hard work that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has done to keep the government open and serving rural America.”

“Mission Roll Call calls on Congress to ensure uninterrupted funding for critical VA programs — including the Fox Suicide Prevention Grants, Supportive Services for Veteran Families, and Health Care for Homeless Veterans. These are lifelines for veterans and their families, and their continuation must be guaranteed without interruption.”

MFBF is very concerned about the potential government shutdown, which jeopardizes the safety net programs & disaster assistance provided to our farmers in this time of critical need. We encourage the Congress & Administration to work toward a solution that supports our industry.

“Missouri banks are dedicated to our customers. Many are federal employees and military servicemembers whose livelihoods depend on the government. Our customers who operate farms and businesses rely on lending programs for their operations. Missouri banks are here to guide them, but more must be done. We urge Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that keeps the federal government open & restores financial stability for many.”

“Congress needs to stop diddly-dallying around and seemingly prioritizing egos and personal agendas over the betterment of the men and women who truly keep this country afloat. Small business owners like farmers and ranchers are tired of being saddled with the consequences of petty partisan politics.”

Dear Leader Thune, Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries:

A unified aviation community writes to respectfully urge you to take immediate action to avoid a government shutdown on October 1. Government shutdowns harm the U.S. economy and degrade the redundancies and margins of safety that our National Airspace System (NAS) is built upon. In fact, short-term shutdowns of just a few days, or even threatened shutdowns that are averted in the eleventh hour, negatively affect the NAS and the traveling public.

The NAS moves over 45,000 flights, 2.9 million passengers and 59,000 tons of cargo every day across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. It is the safest, most efficient, and most complex system in the world.

Earlier this year, our community established the Modern Skies Coalition to wholeheartedly endorse Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s plans to “supercharge” air traffic controller hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and modernize the air traffic control system. The Coalition also highlighted the need for funding reforms to avoid future FAA shutdowns. We strongly supported Congress’s $12.5 billion down payment toward air traffic control modernization, and we continue to advocate in support of Secretary Duffy’s acknowledgment that additional funding of at least $19 billion will be needed to completely build a new air traffic control system. A government shutdown at this stage would jeopardize the important progress that we all have made on these efforts thus far.

Shutdowns are extremely detrimental to the passengers and shippers as well as the aviation community because they force the FAA to, among other things, suspend air traffic controller and technician hiring and training, delay the implementation of safety initiatives, postpone maintenance and repair work to critical air traffic equipment, suspend air carrier pilot check rides, delay airworthy inspections for aircraft, defer the analysis of voluntary safety reporting, and suspend work on modernization programs. During a shutdown, many FAA employees are furloughed, meaning that they cannot perform their duties that support aviation safety, aircraft certification, and the integration of new entrants—which limits U.S. innovation in aerospace. Additionally, infrastructure programs related to modernization are suspended, such as the construction of new facilities, upgrading of runways and installation of new equipment. The ensuing backlogs cause cascading delays in these critical FAA services long after funding is restored.

Although air traffic controllers, technicians, and other exempted aviation safety professionals continue to work without pay during a shutdown, many other FAA employees who support them are furloughed. To maintain our position as the world leader in aviation, we must always strive to improve safety and efficiency and continuously work further to mitigate risk. The air traffic controller and technician staffing

shortage continues to be a critical problem, and a shutdown would make this problem worse by delaying an already-lengthy hiring and training process. During previous shutdowns, the FAA was required to suspend all hiring and close its training academy in Oklahoma City, which takes additional time to restart after a shutdown ends.

Furthermore, shutdowns are both costly and harmful to our economy. The aviation industry in the U.S. contributes more than 5 percent to the gross domestic product, accounting for $1.37 trillion in 2023, while also helping to drive more than 10 million American jobs. Government shutdowns severely hinder this economic activity. The Congressional Budget Office’s analysis found that the 35-day shutdown in December 2018 through January 2019 cost the U.S. economy $3 billion in forgone economic activity that was never recovered.

Congress must work quickly to avoid another harmful shutdown. The FAA, its dedicated frontline workforce, our aviation community, our economy, and the American public cannot afford a disruption, regardless of how long it lasts.

Moms for America is calling on the United States Senate to immediately pass the CLEAN Continuing Resolution to reopen the federal government. Every day this shutdown continues, families face uncertainty, vital services like flood insurance during hurricane season, veterans’ health care, and housing programs are all at risk. This is not about politics; it is about people, and the House has already passed a responsible, clean resolution to keep the government funded through November 21, 2025.

As moms, we understand the importance of stability and security. American families should not be forced to pay the price for partisan obstruction. We stand with President Trump in urging the Senate to act now and pass a CLEAN CR so our nation’s families, veterans, and communities can move forward without disruption.

As the U.S. government shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, the impact on American farmers and rural communities is significant. This situation is not just a bureaucratic issue; it directly threatens the livelihoods of farmers already facing numerous challenges.

Vice Chair Steve Sheffels shared his perspective, stating, “We would like the government to be concerned about what is right, instead of who is right.” This sentiment underscores the urgent need for lawmakers to prioritize the needs of farmers over partisan disagreements.

The shutdown will disrupt essential services that farmers rely on, such as the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and crop insurance programs. With important deadlines for FSA and crop insurance fall seeding reports approaching, this timing is particularly harmful. USDA has warned that vital farm bill programs could expire, adding to the uncertainty for those in agriculture.

The effects of this shutdown are extensive. Farmers are currently relying on an outdated 2018 farm bill due to Congress’s failure to pass a new one. While Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins assures us that key programs for farmers will remain intact, these reassurances are not enough. Any disruption within the USDA will cause delays in grant applications, loan services, and important reports.

The potential consequences of this shutdown go beyond temporary economic issues. According to the Congressional Budget Office, each week of furloughs could reduce GDP growth by 0.15%. For rural communities already struggling economically, this could be disastrous. A government shutdown is not just a political tactic; it has real consequences for the families and businesses that are essential to our agricultural sector.

It is unacceptable that, during this crisis, lawmakers are prioritizing partisan disagreements over the needs of our farmers. We must unite to ensure that the government remains operational and continues to support those who feed our nation. The time for action is now—our farmers deserve better.

“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.”

“An open, functioning federal government allows manufacturers to get innovative products approved, next-generation facilities inspected and permitting decisions made. Congress should pass a clean CR, the fastest way to ensure manufacturers have the certainty they need to invest and create jobs here in the U.S.”

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.

Op-Ed:

Our country is divided in ways that weaken us. Too often, politics not facts or public safety drive decisions. As President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), I lead a nonpartisan organization representing federal law enforcement professionals.

Our mission depends on support from both sides of the aisle, because keeping Americans safe should never be a partisan issue.

Recently, my team and I attended a White House ceremony for the HALT Fentanyl Act, a bill we helped move through Congress. This legislation will save lives, including countless children.

Yet after we proudly featured a photo from that event on the cover of our 1811 magazine, angry messages poured in not about the bill, but about where the photo was taken. That’s the problem: too many people see policy only through the lens of politics, not results.

For nearly 50 years, FLEOA has worked hand in hand with every President Republican and Democrat alike. Yet today, the pushback is louder simply because Donald Trump is President. The focus has shifted away from substance and toward personalities, and that shift is dangerous.

Take California’s new law, SB 627, the so-called “No Secret Police Act.” It prohibits officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces while doing their jobs. Advocates claim it promotes transparency. In reality, it puts officers and their families at risk.

Across the country, federal agents are being assaulted, doxed, and targeted by criminals. Masks and face coverings protect them from retaliation, not accountability. Stripping those protections is a political move disguised as reform and once one state acts, others often follow.

I recently met with ICE Director Todd Lyons, who is deeply committed to the men and women under his command. He spoke about the very real threats his agents face, both on the streets and at home. For them, a mask can mean the difference between anonymity and having their personal information spread online in seconds. Leaders like Director Lyons understand this it’s time lawmakers did too.

A few days after this meeting, as we continued discussing what more could be done to protect the men and women serving on the front lines, tragedy struck in Dallas.

A suspect opened fire at an ICE detention facility, killing one and leaving two others in critical condition. It is nothing short of remarkable that more lives were not lost. On that day, I believe Psalm 91 stood over the officers who put their lives on the line.

This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of why we, as a society, must do better.

The growing negativity in this country is dividing us at a time when unity is most needed. Instead of vilifying the federal agents who dedicate their lives to keeping us safe, we must work together to protect them and to ensure the safety of every community.

If we continue down a path where laws and rhetoric undermine those on the front lines, we risk fueling more hate, anger, and violence. At the end of the day, law enforcement officers are not political pawns.

They are Americans who put themselves in harm’s way to protect their communities.

Policies that jeopardize their safety for the sake of political posturing don’t just endanger officers they endanger the public they serve.

We can disagree on politics. But we should all agree on this: protecting those who protect us is not up for debate.

“This shutdown puts vital housing programs on hold, creating uncertainty for families, businesses, and markets across the country. From federal mortgage and rental assistance to disaster relief and flood insurance, each day of delay compounds real-life impacts in America’s housing market, which accounts for nearly 20% of the U.S. economy. Already, the NFIP’s authority to issue new policies has lapsed, complicating an estimated 1,400 property transactions a day and leaving many buyers in high-risk areas without coverage.

We strongly urge swift passage of the clean bipartisan C.R. or long-term funding package to reopen the government. America’s housing sector, and the millions of people who depend on it, deserve the stability to plan and move forward with confidence.”

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) urges the Senate to quickly pass a clean short-term funding bill and reopen the government. Statement from Eric Hoplin, President & CEO of NAW:

“In recent years, Congress has routinely missed funding deadlines and necessarily agreed to pass short-term funding bills to keep the government operating. Business owners, workers, and their families rely on the certainty of government operations, and shutdowns like the current one only harm the economy. The US House has already passed a clean short-term funding bill that allow members from both parties and chambers to continue to negotiate full-year funding measures as well as a series of expiring provisions. We urge the US Senate to follow the lead of the House and adopt and send to the President’s desk a clean CR.

Failing to act will result in an extended government shutdown leading to economic uncertainty, critical supply chains disruptions, and unnecessary challenges for businesses, workers, and consumers. Stability in government operations is essential for keeping supply chains strong and avoiding unnecessary disruptions.”

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) is one of America’s leading trade associations, representing the $8.2 trillion wholesale distribution industry. Founded in 1946, NAW comprises national, regional, and state employers of all sizes, industry trade associations, partners, and stakeholders spanning all distribution sectors. Our industry employs more than 6 million workers throughout the United States, accounting for 1/3 of the U.S. GDP. 35,000 wholesale distribution companies operate in nearly 150,000 places of business across North America, including all 50 states.

October 6: We encourage all Americans to tune in to this special edition of Comment from the Capitol for crucial insights on the recent government shutdown.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐤 (𝐀𝐑-𝟑) welcomes 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 for an in-depth conversation that breaks down:
✓ How we got to the shutdown
✓ What’s at stake for our nation
✓ What happens next

This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the real story behind the headlines. Speaker Johnson and Congressman Womack provide the clarity and context we need during these critical times.

Take a few minutes to stay informed and engaged. Our strength as a Federation comes from being well-informed and active citizens.

#NFRW #StayInformed #republicanwomenlead

October 1: 🚨 𝐍𝐅𝐑𝐖 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝!🚨

We are asking that the 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐑 already passed by the House be passed by the Senate so it can reach the President’s desk and keep the government open.

Democrats are holding out for a radical left wish list instead of passing the 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐑.

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝: Check how your senator voted. If they did not vote in favor of the 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐑, call their office today. The Senate will continue voting daily until a CR passes.
Your voice matters—make it heard now.

October 1: Senate Democrats have blocked a clean continuing resolution, thereby forcing a government shutdown after midnight.

Republicans had proposed a straightforward continuing resolution to maintain government funding, which is consistent with the type of clean CR Democrats have supported numerous times in the past. Consequently, military members, federal workers, and ordinary Americans will bear the brunt of the Democrats’ political maneuvering.

Today, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued a statement thanking the House of Representatives for advancing a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown:

“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.”

“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,” said NCC spokesperson Tom

Super. “Businesses need certainty and the President signing a CR would help provide it.”

“A government shutdown would directly disrupt vital programs like the marketing loan, halt the processing of ARC-PLC benefits, and impede our producers’ access to critical markets and cash flow. The bottom line is a shutdown of the federal government would deliver an additional blow to farmers already navigating immense challenges.”

On behalf of the electrical construction industry, our over 4,000 electrical contractors employing more than 500,000 skilled workers across America, NECA urges the Senate to act without delay and pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. This legislation maintains current government spending levels and prevents potential lapses in payment for NECA members performing critical federal contracts.

While a continuing resolution is not an ideal solution, the consequences of a government shutdown would be far more harmful to our members. It is essential that the federal government maintains its normal operations while broader budgetary reforms are debated and pursued.

With hundreds of federal construction projects underway, many NECA members are concerned they’ll be unable to access job sites or fulfill their contractual obligations. Under the Sovereign Acts Doctrine, the government assumes no liability for damages suffered by contractors due to a shutdown, including idle labor, equipment costs, unabsorbed overhead, or lost profits. A shutdown places the financial burden squarely on the backs of contractors and small businesses that are simply trying to do their jobs.

A protracted government shutdown would be economically disruptive, delay critical infrastructure projects, jeopardize jobs, and create even more uncertainty for the broader U.S. economy. Therefore, NECA respectfully urges the Senate to pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026.

As people of faith, we value the construct of being good and faithful stewards. In the context of our nation’s government, that value translates to good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. A shutdown impacts the most vulnerable and the strongest among us from low-income families to our brave troops. We urge Congress to pass the common sense Continuing Resolution to re-open our government and lines of communication regarding policy disagreements. May unity prevail among us as Americans and as faithful stewards of this great nation.

“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.”

Dear Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson, Minority Leader Jeffries, Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Warren, Chairman Hill, and Ranking Member Waters, we, the undersigned organizations, commend your efforts to ensure the continuity of government operations beyond the existing funding deadline on September 30th. However, as this date rapidly approaches, we urge you to extend the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) authority to continue issuing new and renewal flood insurance policies.

A lapse of NFIP authority would disrupt the purchase and renewal of flood insurance in more than 20,000 communities across the United States. The NFIP provides nearly $1.3 trillion in coverage against flooding, protecting 4.7 million policyholders against the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. Americans would be unable to purchase new NFIP policies during a lapse before closing, and residential, commercial, and rental property owners and renters currently insured by the NFIP would also be unable to renew their policies or purchase new ones; these policies are required when utilizing any federally backed mortgage product.

Such a lapse would also compound existing pressures in the insurance market. Owners, operators, and developers of multifamily rental housing have faced rising costs across various lines of insurance (property, liability, cyber). Higher deductibles, coverage limitations, and, in some areas, limited access to affordable private insurance have increased financial risk for housing providers and placed additional strain on property operations.

We also look forward to working with Congress on reforms that are necessary to protect the long-term financial viability of the program, but allowing the program to lapse in the interim would be detrimental to millions of Americans.

We greatly appreciate the continued efforts of congressional leaders to reach a resolution on government funding and urge you to ensure that NFIP is extended to ensure flood insurance remains available to protect at-risk properties at the height of catastrophic events.

“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,” Yoes said. “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,” said Yoes. “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,” Yoes said. “Congress has an obligation to the American people to fulfill one of its core responsibilities.

In response to a possible government shutdown on Wednesday, the National League of Cities (NLC) President Mayor Steve Patterson of Athens, Ohio, issued the following statement:

“As Congress nears a potential shutdown, cities, towns, and villages are preparing for disruptions to federal funding and services that directly affect residents. Local governments may face interruptions in federal agency coordination, delays in crucial grant funding and overall uncertainty for a wide range of community programs. We recognize the legitimate policy concerns outlined by both parties over the nation’s budget, however, we urge Members of Congress to continue working toward consensus and bipartisan compromise for the good of the nation’s cities, towns and villages.”

The 250 NeighborWorks-chartered organizations across the country are on the frontlines of America’s housing crisis. In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, our members empowered tens of thousands of Americans to achieve the dream of homeownership and leveraged federal resources to generate over $10 billion of investment in local communities.

This is the heart of our mission: creating opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities.

Today we urge leaders in Washington, D.C. to come together and reopen the government. A shutdown threatens to stall the transformative progress the NeighborWorks network is leading in every state – deepening America’s housing crisis at a time when solutions are needed most.

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) urges that the bi-partisan, clean continuing resolution be passed. The average American is not interested in having their government be held hostage by Senate Democrats’ pet projects, like giving nearly half a billion dollars back to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The time has come for Congress to adopt a clean continuing resolution so the government can resume fulfilling its duties to the American public.

“An extended government shutdown creates needless economic uncertainty for millions of working families, which impacts how much they can support local small businesses. The small businesses that make up the restaurant industry contribute more than $1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy, and we return 96% of that to our workers, the nation’s food producers, and the many small businesses that enable us to keep our doors open. America deserves better. The National Restaurant Association urges lawmakers to quickly pass a clean CR and to pass a long-term budget that provides certainty for consumers.” – Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO

The National Small Business Association (NSBA) is urging lawmakers to avoid a costly government shutdown. When the government shuts down, small businesses are left holding the bill, whether they do business with the federal government, rely on critical federal programs, or are part of the infrastructure supporting our national parks.

“Manufacturing this magnitude of crisis simply to grandstand and win partisan points irresponsible and unacceptable,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “While Members of Congress and their staff will continue to get paid, the millions of small businesses who rely on the federal government will not. They, their families and every business in their pipeline will feel the pinch of a shutdown – they always do.”

NSBA is imploring lawmakers to recognize the vast implications of a government shutdown on small business, including:

Millions of small-business federal contractors and subcontractors that will be impacted by contract delays, stoppages and cancellations—regardless of what services or products they already have provided—which WILL affect every business in their supply chain, their employees and their families.

Federal programs such as those under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), particularly their lending programs, will begin to experience long delays due to the absence of staff and inevitable backlog of approvals.

“Government shutdowns are costly political theater that succeed in only two things: weakening the U.S. economy and confidence in our elected officials,” McCracken went on to say. “Now is not the time to send the message to the 70 million people who run or work for a small business that they do not matter.”

Local businesses supporting tourism associated with national parks will experience massive reductions in anticipated revenue.

The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) Executive Director and CEO Jonathan Thompson released the following statement regarding a possible government shutdown:

“Allowing the U.S. Government to close because of political and ideological preferences is a dangerous and failed policy. The safety of our communities relies on the continuity of operations for our government. A government shutdown for one minute is inexcusable and will needlessly make our community ties less safe. Reasonable people can disagree on policies but using a shutdown as a cudgel is pure politics, and it needs to stop.”

National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp and Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold on Thursday condemned the federal government shutdown as a completely avoidable crisis.

“Demanding over a trillion dollars in new spending in exchange for a seven week funding patch is fiscal malpractice, plain and simple,” Sepp said. “With the national debt ballooning beyond $37 trillion every day, taxpayers deserve real spending reform, not more tiresome games with the country’s future.”

In an ironic twist that underscores Washington’s dysfunction, National Taxpayers Union’s long-scheduled budget workshop to help congressional staff understand the mechanics of fiscal responsibility was set to take place tomorrow. It is now postponed because of the shutdown.

“Shutdowns never work out well for taxpayers,” National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold said. “They drive down the trust that Americans have for the government, and display the inability of adults to act like adults.”

At issue are the enhanced, COVID-era tax subsidies for Obamacare health insurance plans. These premium tax credits are scheduled to expire at the end of this year and return to levels set under former President Obama’s signature health care legislation, instead of emergency-level amounts designed for the pandemic. These credits do not go to taxpayers, instead incentivizing insurance companies to increase rates.

The number of uninsured Americans is rising despite the subsidies. (KFF, Paragon Institute, Census) Democrats themselves admit the subsidies are plagued by fraud from “rogue health insurance brokers.” (Senate Finance, Congress.gov)

History shows estimates of health coverage losses are likely too large. The Congressional Budget Office has overestimated coverage losses from past policy proposals, and acknowledges uncertainty about its estimate that 3.8 million (out of 12 million enhanced premium credit enrollees) are at risk over the next decade. (NTU analysis)

Nearly 80% of enrollees are facilitated by brokers, not direct beneficiaries. Subsidies go straight to insurance companies, and CMS suspended roughly 1,000 fraudulent brokers last year. (KFF)

Almost 3 million Americans are enrolled in both Medicaid and the ACA Marketplace. If COVID subsidies expire, the lowest-income Americans will still have Medicaid coverage.
(HHS)

“Senate Democrats should join Republicans in passing a clean continuing resolution. Equally important, it’s past time to put aside partisanship and work for real solutions to promote fiscal discipline and prevent government shutdowns from ever happening again,” Sepp said. “We stand ready to help.”

“On behalf of the over 500 members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), we urge you to swiftly pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. This critical legislation ensures continued government funding that our industry depends on to keep construction moving forward by preventing further disruption to federal project funding and payments, and regulatory and permitting bottlenecks.

Our members produce and support the aggregates materials used to provide the foundation of America’s infrastructure, supporting nearly 729,000 jobs and delivering materials for highways, airports, and public works projects. A government shutdown, even a brief one, halts federal construction projects; delays permitting; and disrupts supply chains, directly impacting our members’ operations. These disruptions threaten the timely delivery of infrastructure improvements that communities rely on nationwide.

Stable federal funding is vital for the aggregates industry to plan production, maintain workforce stability, and support economic growth. We strongly urge you to pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, to avoid a prolonged shutdown and continue the progress of America’s infrastructure development.”

“The turkey industry depends on consistency in federal programs that support food safety, animal health and trade. While essential services will continue, this shutdown creates unnecessary uncertainty for our members and their operations. We strongly encourage Congress to work together to restore government funding and provide the stability needed for America’s food and agriculture system.”

Nature is Nonpartisan always seeks out common ground for common good. Preventing a government shutdown is no different.

The federal government oversees our national parks, national forests, and many other public lands that employ thousands of Americans. A government shutdown could close these lands, furlough park rangers, make wildland firefighters work without pay, and force conservation experts to stop protecting our shared lands and waters. Families across the country have a right to recreation, no matter the political fights taking place in Washington.

We hope to see Congress reconcile their differences for the sake of American workers, American families, and America’s great outdoors.

Real Estate friends, Homeowners, and aspiring Homeowners, Please tell Democrats in Congress to SUPPORT the funding bill that includes the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) and to respond accordingly to the looming deadline.

As a Realtor, I have clients whose lenders REQUIRE flood insurance and this can jeopardize upcoming home sales (closings) and add a disruption that the housing market does NOT need. Helene flooded Newport just 1 year ago this past Saturday and I remember trying to submit a new survey to the recorder’s office learning that the majority of local government offices were under water. Our family and school collected and sent aid. Hurricane season is back and the political games of Democrats in Congress to thwart our current administration’s efforts need to STOP.

The government should NOT be shut down over free healthcare for illegal aliens. Period.

“The Ohio Bankers League urges Congress to swiftly pass a clean continuing resolution to keep the federal government open and functioning. A stable, fully operational government is vital to maintaining economic confidence in communities across Ohio — from small towns to our largest cities. Federal programs, contracts, and payments play a key role in supporting Ohio’s businesses, workers, and families. Our economy works best when the government remains open, ensuring stability and certainty for the customers and communities our banks serve every day. Ohio federal employees and others affected are encouraged to contact their banks to explore available assistance.”- Michael Adelman, President and CEO.

You can’t be for illegals and put American workers first. @SenateDems caused higher healthcare costs for all Americans by helping Biden and Harris import millions of illegals.

We’re done being ripped off and subsidizing our competition. Dems and @SenRandPaul will hurt our Military, Border Patrol, Veterans, essential federal employees, and every American even more if they shut down the government. We don’t like CR’s either, but pass the bill. Let’s keep working together to Make America Great Again.

Of course the DC democrats are putting American citizens last & trying to dole out $1.5 trillion for their slush fund projects for illegals. This is the #SchumerShutdown & everyone knows it. The Oklahoma Freedom Caucus stands with our great @POTUS @realDonaldTrump.

As a U.S. manufacturer supplying hospitals and healthcare centers, On the Right Track Systems urges Congress to avoid a government shutdown. Disruptions in federal funding will slow health operations, delay critical infection-control, and put American patients and healthcare workers at greater risk. Stable government operations are essential to ensuring Americans have timely access to the protective equipment they need to reduce healthcare-associated infections and save lives.

October 14: Because of the government shutdown, OCR is closed. That means civil rights complaints — like @DefendingEd’s against Albuquerque Public Schools — won’t be addressed, leaving students vulnerable.

Today, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Luke Bernstein issued the following statement urging Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution and avoid a damaging government shutdown.

“A shutdown would have serious consequences for Pennsylvania’s economy, workforce, and communities — undermining business confidence, disrupting federal services, and threatening critical operations that families and employers rely on every day. A shutdown would threaten important economic progress, delay federal permitting and contracting, and jeopardize essential services that support infrastructure, transportation, and public safety. Passing this continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown is important for a wide range of Pennsylvania employers — from the largest manufacturers and service providers to the small businesses that power our economy. 

“We commend our Senators, Dave McCormick and John Fetterman, for their bipartisan leadership in calling for a clean continuing resolution. Their efforts reflect a shared commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic resilience. We encourage all members of Congress to follow their example and prioritize responsible governance over partisan gridlock.”

“On behalf of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, we urgently call on the Senate to advance a measure to keep the federal government operational and provide for more time to complete the appropriations process. The farm economy is already at a crisis point, and a government shutdown would make it exponentially harder for our farmers to feed the nation. Keeping the government open not only ensures essential services from agencies like the USDA and EPA continue but also allows the critical work on Farm Bill 2.0 to proceed. Therefore, we urge Senate Republicans and Democrats to come together to prevent a catastrophic shutdown at 12:01 AM tomorrow.”

Dear Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson, and Minority Leader Jeffries:

On behalf of the Professional Services Council (PSC)—and the 400 PSC member companies that support federal agencies through mission-focused services and solutions—I write to urge Congress to act without delay to pass one or more appropriations bills that will help avoid a lapse in appropriations and the resultant shutdown of the federal government. From an industry perspective, it is critically important to keep the federal government open, ensure delivery of essential solutions to the American people, and avoid the damaging consequences of a federal government shutdown.

As you know, a shutdown disrupts efficiency and effectiveness of agency operations, threatening the ability of agencies to achieve their vital missions. Federal agencies leverage the capabilities of contracting partners to sustain critical operations in defense, cybersecurity, public health, and infrastructure. When funding lapses, projects stall. Procurement cycles are interrupted. Vital work is delayed. National security and emergency preparedness are particularly at risk, as shutdowns impede work on classified systems, intelligence operations, and defense logistics—work that is indispensable to protecting and serving U.S. citizens at home and abroad.

In addition, shutdowns have a significantly destabilizing effect on the contracting workforce and inflict lasting harm on the U.S. business base. Contractors are not only mission partners; they are also over a million constituents and taxpayers in all 50 states, and they rely on stable sources of income for their livelihoods. Unlike federal employees, contractor employees are not guaranteed back pay once a shutdown ends, assuming that they have not been furloughed or laid off during the lapse in appropriations. Aside from the impact on individual lives, the result throughout the government contracting industry is a diminished talent pipeline, weakened morale, and the loss of specialized expertise that agencies need to meet their missions. Prolonged funding uncertainty not only disrupts today’s missions, but also jeopardizes tomorrow’s innovation, resilience, and competitiveness.

Finally, shutdowns weaken the broader economy. The 2018–2019 partial shutdown cost the U.S. economy at least $11 billion with $3 billion in permanently lost Gross Domestic Product, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Small and mid-sized businesses—many of which cannot withstand prolonged disruptions—face existential risks. Of course, we also know that shutdowns are profoundly inefficient: every day the government is closed requires several days of recovery, wasting taxpayer dollars, delaying new initiatives, and forcing agencies and companies alike to repeat administrative processes.

For these reasons, PSC strongly urges Congress to avoid any lapse in appropriations by ensuring timely passage of appropriations bills. The American people—including military personnel, federal civilians, and contractor employees—deserve stable, predictable funding and uninterrupted provision of government services, and our nation’s contracting partners stand ready to support those federal mission sets with unparalleled capabilities, innovation, and commitment.

“According to the New York Times, 65 percent of American voters do not want a government shutdown. Therefore it is disappointing that Congress cannot follow the desires of the majority of Americans by passing a clean continuing resolution. This political recklessness will stall energy exploration, delay clean energy initiatives, and set back America’s pursuit of AI dominance, something our nation desperately needs to compete with our adversaries. A Rainey Center poll released in June 2025 found that 84 percent of Americans believe no part of our energy or data center supply chains should rely on China. A government shutdown will only delay America’s path to energy self-sufficiency. We call on Congress to act responsibly.”

Chuck Schumer should put the country first and keep the government open, instead of fearing a primary from AOC. Come on, @ChuckSchumer, DO YOUR JOB.

With hunting season ongoing in many states, and about to open in others, access to America’s beautiful public lands is critical to many RMEF members, their families, and millions of Americans who hunt and enjoy other outdoor recreation pursuits. A government shutdown would curtail essential services required to operate our public lands, which will inhibit hunting access and other recreational activities. Additionally, a federal government shutdown will hinder RMEF’s ability to finalize several access and habitat projects that will help enhance our public lands and increase hunting and other recreational opportunities. RMEF encourages Congress to put their differences aside and fund federal government operations so that millions of Americans can continue to access our spectacular public lands.

The potential of another government shutdown looms large today, with consequences far beyond DC…In national security, the risk is not just delay. It threatens critical programs, stalls progress on urgent defense initiatives and injects uncertainty into the missions that protect our country.

For small businesses like us at Rune Technologies, the stakes are high. We employ people here at home dedicated to advancing the military mission, but our ability to keep them working depends on predictable government funding. A lapse interrupts projects, undermines trust, jeopardizes livelihoods, and slows innovation when speed matters most.

This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s about national security and protecting the ecosystem of innovators, large and small, who stand behind it.

There is good news though: a clean CR funding bill is available. Passing it would avert disruption, preserve momentum, and allow government and industry partners to keep doing the work that matters. As the hours tick by, we’ll see what happens. Here’s to hoping a CR passes and defense modernization continues uninterrupted…

“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.”

“A strong economy depends on certainty and stability; however, the ongoing government shutdown has the potential to do just the opposite, causing unpredictability that will hurt businesses, workers, and communities across the Palmetto State. The longer this shutdown continues, our competitiveness and long-term growth will be threatened due to lapsed federal contracts and other critical government services, stalled infrastructure projects and government loans, and delayed permitting that will harm large and small businesses alike.

We urge Congress to act swiftly to end the shutdown and restore the stability businesses and families across South Carolina need.”

On behalf of Starboard we strongly urge Congress to keep the federal government open and avoid a shutdown. A lapse in funding would severely disrupt agencies that underpin the digital media and technology ecosystem, from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which oversees spectrum licensing and broadband policy, to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which safeguards intellectual property rights. Even short-term interruptions in these essential functions risk delaying product launches, deterring investment, and slowing down innovation in one of America’s most globally competitive industries.

Beyond regulatory paralysis, a shutdown would halt important federal research and development programs that partner with private technology firms and threaten stability in financial markets that digital media and technology companies rely on for capital. For entrepreneurs, engineers, and creators across the country, the cost of a shutdown is not abstract—it directly threatens jobs, growth, and the United States’ leadership in the global digital economy. Keeping the government open is not just a matter of politics; it is an economic imperative.

State Business Executives (SBE) today issued the following statement on the potential shutdown of the U.S. Government: “State Business Executives calls on Congressional leadership and the U.S. Senate to keep the government funded and open. Shutdowns are reckless, costly, and disruptive to industry. They halt contracts, stall infrastructure, delay permits, and shake business confidence—hurting growth and jobs in every state. Failing to fund the government undermines our economy and risks harmingAmerica’s competitiveness. Senate leaders must do their jobs, end the brinkmanship, and keep the government running—something done 13 times under the previous administration and as recently as six months ago. Businesses need stability, not chaos.”

October 13: Americans are sick of the shutdown.

Republicans are ready to govern.

It’s harder than ever to deny this is a crisis entirely manufactured by so-called progressives in Congress who decided political point-scoring is more important than serving Americans.

Every day gets better for us.” That’s how Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer gleefully described the ongoing federal government shutdown for his party in an interview this week.

Before that, a super PAC linked to Schumer circulated a memo bragging that Democrats are “winning” the shutdown fight and warning allies that it would be “a mistake to take the pressure off Republicans.” The group claims the showdown is a critical opportunity to define the stakes of the 2026 midterms, which they believe will center around healthcare and economic concerns.

While millions of Americans wonder how they will pay their bills without a paycheck, Democratic operatives are cynically calculating how to maximize leverage for next year’s election. Schumer’s allies are telling senators to “hold firm” and refuse compromise, even warning against any “vague GOP promises of talks later.” The focus isn’t on helping families—it’s on creating a winning “contrast” for campaign ads portraying themselves as fighting for their version of “affordable health care” while painting their opponents as embracing chaos.

Where Schumer and his party see partisan fortune worth celebrating, the American people see proof that Washington is broken again, and this time on purpose. To congressional Democrats, the debate is not about solving the shutdown; it’s about winning a political messaging war.

It is harder than ever to deny the ongoing shutdown is a crisis entirely manufactured by so-called progressives in Congress who have decided political point-scoring is more important than keeping the government open and serving Americans.

Here’s the unpleasant reality for Democrats: Most Americans do not want a shutdown, and at least 65% oppose federal healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants. Yet they choose to keep the government closed rather than vote for a funding bill nearly identical to what they supported earlier this year. Why? Because they are catering not to the nation, but to the ideologues of their base. Politicians like Schumer are terrified of far-left primary challenges in next year’s midterm elections. So instead of leading, liberal Washington politicians are letting themselves be led by the activist wing of their coalition, elevating rigid ideology over basic governance.

Conservatives have been consistent all along: stop the waste, keep the government open, and protect taxpayers. Progressives, on the other hand, are more intent on guaranteeing taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants than on paying the men and women who defend our freedom. That is not compassion. That is misplaced priorities.

Here’s the unpleasant reality for our country: Every day the shutdown drags on, Americans who depend on government paychecks, benefits, and services are left stranded. Every day, veterans are denied critical resources, our military and air traffic controllers continue to work without pay, and low-income mothers worry about feeding their children as the WIC program risks running out of money.

With that in mind, it becomes even more maddening that Senate Majority PAC’s strategy memo actually encouraged Democrats to keep the shutdown going as long as possible just because they think it’s a winning play for the next election. That is naked political theater, not leadership.

Right now, Congress should have one overriding priority: fund the government so our troops get paid, our borders are secured, and vital services reach the people who need them most. And right now, almost half of Congress thinks this is all just a game. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Across the nation, conservative state leaders are showing that fiscal responsibility works. States, often led by conservative financial officers, are balancing budgets, funding schools and infrastructure, and keeping workers paid, all without the drama and gridlock of Washington. And they are doing this while the federal debt nears an unsustainable $38 trillion. Washington could learn a thing or two from the states about living within its means.

The path forward is simple, and it doesn’t require waiting months for poll numbers to dictate action: Fund the government. Pay our troops. Secure our border. Respect taxpayers.

There is no excuse for this shutdown to continue, not when both parties have already shown they can agree on the basics. A significant majority of Congress has already voted for a clean Continuing Resolution, the same funding measure that passed with broad bipartisan support back in March. The difference now isn’t policy—it’s pure politics.

It’s time to reject the political hostage-taking of Washington’s activist class and deliver a government that works. Americans are tired of the brinkmanship. They’re tired of being used as pawns in a game of partisan advantage. Our citizens deserve a government that serves us, not a shutdown designed to score headlines and protect a few political careers.

October 6: Day 6 of the shutdown is hurting families & markets:
➡️ Real lives are being disrupted as passports, small business loans, & other basic government services are delayed
➡️WIC is at risk
➡️Troops & Border Patrol are working unpaid.

We stand with the American people. Pass a clean CR to reopen the government.

October 2: Our state financial officers steward taxpayer dollars every day. Congress must do the same. Keeping the government open protects families, veterans, and taxpayers, while allowing lawmakers to focus on real budget decisions instead of political standoffs. We urge the Senate to pass a clean continuing resolution immediately.

“We urge Congress to avert a government shutdown and maintain fiscal stability. A clean continuing resolution is the clearest path to avoid disruption and fiscal harm. Our 37 state financial officers from 27 states, stewards of trillions in assets, know federal disruptions burden taxpayers, small businesses and public pensions.

Acting irresponsibly risks undermining hard-won economic progress under President Trump, including support for veterans’ benefits, seniors’ Social Security processing, and critical public safety funding. We urge lawmakers to prioritize fiscal responsibility and protect America’s future.”

Senator Schumer and the radical democrats want $1.5 trillion to dish out your money to illegals and radical pet projects—or they’ll shut down the government.

House Republicans did right by the American people by passing a clean continuing resolution. It is time for democrats to quit playing games and provide the votes for this bill.

We stand with our great President Donald J. Trump! 🇺🇸 Hold the line and say NO to the #SchumerShutdown!

A shutdown hurts every American. Steelworkers power America’s economy, but we need government on the job, enforcing fair trade and standing up to unfair imports that threaten our livelihoods. Congress should pass a clean CR to reopen the government; America’s steelworkers depend on it – Brandon Farris, Steel Manufacturers Association

“A clean CR isn’t partisan—it’s the bare minimum to keep the government running.”

“Congress has failed to reach an agreement that would pass a continuing resolution (CR) and fund the government, triggering a government shutdown. This is an extremely disruptive and painful situation for millions of Americans that could have been avoided if Congress had fulfilled its basic duty of appropriating funds instead of opting for short-term spending deals.

As millions of federal workers, including congressional staffers, go without pay during this shutdown, members of Congress continue to get paid as usual. Members should not be exempted from the consequences of a shutdown, especially when it is the product of their negligence.

In response to this development, David Williams, TPA President, offered the following comment:

“We’ve seen this movie before and we have never liked the ending. Congress has once again failed to complete the regular appropriations process on time and is now reliant on passing a CR. The dependence on short term CRs instead of full appropriation bills is irresponsible and creates chaos for the economy and federal workers.

“House Republicans successfully passed a clean CR to keep the government open, demonstrating that a straightforward solution was on the table. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats rejected that approach and insisted on cramming the bill with over $1 trillion in unrelated spending—including new green-energy subsidies, earmarks for pet projects, and additional foreign aid spending—none of which had anything to do with keeping essential government services running. By trying to leverage a shutdown to advance wasteful priorities, they put politics over the basic responsibility of funding the government.

“This has happened and will keep happening because members of Congress have no skin in the game. While essential federal workers continue to work without pay, members of Congress remain paid during government shutdowns. So, while the nation endures the costs of their negligence, Congress comes out unscathed. This is not logical, especially considering their staff will not be paid.

“There have been proposals in the past to withhold pay from Congress when debt limits are reached or the government is shut down. It is time to bring those ideas back to the floor. If such measures were in place, perhaps Congress would approach the regular appropriations process with more urgency.

“TPA regrets that American taxpayers will have to bear the costs of the upcoming government shutdown and calls for legislation to withhold pay for lawmakers during government shutdowns.”

Congress is playing the same blame and delay game that corporations play with American workers seeking a first contract. A shutdown will hurt working people. Period. American workers are not bargaining chips.

Senators should stop screwing around and pass the House-passed clean, short term funding bill. Then they can get back to work and pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act to stop these harmful games in the private sector.

American workers are sick of being held hostage for political points!

Tea Party Patriots Action Honorary Chairman Jenny Beth Martin issued the following statement:

“Last night, Senate Democrats voted to shut down the federal government. They are playing politics, and it will backfire.

“Senate Majority Leader Thune is rightfully holding the line against the Democrats’ outrageous demand for an extension of the extended Obamacare premium tax credits. These tax credits were always meant to be temporary, and extending them would cost $350billion over the next decade. In addition, the Democrats are also demanding a restoration of the Medicaid savings the Congress enacted just a few months ago. Restoring that wasteful spending — which, among other things, included taxpayer-funded health care for illegal aliens — would cost another trillion dollars. But it doesn’t stop there — Democrats are also demanding the president give up his authority to rescind funds previously approved by the Congress, an authority presidents have employed for centuries to save taxpayers money. Insisting on attaching these measures to a continuing resolution — a short-term spending bill meant to keep government open while negotiations continue — is an unacceptable demand, and they know it.

“The Democrats’ liberal base is still annoyed at Minority Leader Schumer for not saying ‘no’ to President Trump every chance he gets. Schumer wants to keep his job as Minority Leader, and he wants to avoid a primary challenge from his left when he runs for reelection in 2028. Let’s keep that in mind to put Sen. Schumer’s demands in context — he’s not doing what he’s doing for the good of the people, he’s doing it with an eye to saving his own political hide, and nothing more.”

Well said @AZChamber @dbseiden! @txbiz agrees that Congress should act swiftly to prevent a shutdown. There’s economic momentum in Texas, Arizona and the U.S. that a government shutdown could threaten.

Today, Texas Association of Business (TAB) President and CEO Glenn Hamer issued the following statement as the U.S. Congress enters the final hours before a shutdown of the federal government at midnight tonight: “On the heels of historic legislation to boost business activity and spur job creation across the U.S., a shutdown of the federal government right now would inject unnecessary uncertainty for Texas businesses and communities that rely on certainty and stability to plan and grow their operations.

“Texas’ economic momentum is stronger than ever before, with our GDP growing faster than the U.S. as a whole this year. A shutdown could blunt that momentum and stall federal investments and projects that are key to our state’s current and future economic growth.

“The Texas business community urges Congress to act immediately to prevent a government shutdown. Passage of a continuing resolution to keep the government open is the prudent course while a longer-term deal is negotiated.”

The Texas Business Leadership Council calls on Congressional leadership and the U.S. Senate to work together to ensure the federal government remains funded and open. Government shutdowns create unnecessary and uncertainty, slow essential projects, delay permits, and erode confidence in our economy. These disruptions affect businesses as well as families, communities, and America’s standing in the global marketplace.

Texas employers and entrepreneurs know that long-term prosperity depends on stability and predictability. We urge our nation’s leaders to set aside brinksmanship, fulfill their responsibility to the American people, and provide the steady governance that enables growth, innovation, and opportunity not just in Texas but in in every state.”

“As Congress works to avoid a government shutdown, Texas Farm Bureau urges swift passage of a measure to keep the federal government funded and functioning. A shutdown would create unnecessary hardship for farm and ranch families at a time when they can least afford it. From rising input costs to volatile markets, producers are already navigating significant economic uncertainty.

We cannot afford disruptions to critical USDA services, including those that support disaster assistance, conservation programs and animal health surveillance, especially as we monitor threats like the screwworm, which could devastate livestock operations. Farmers and ranchers need certainty, not more delays. We call on Congress to act responsibly and ensure that essential programs remain accessible to those who feed, clothe and fuel our nation.”

October 8: “President Trump’s emergency order will insulate the energy industry from some impacts in the short-term, but even with that, a prolonged government shutdown risks undermining the broader energy ecosystem critical to our nation’s energy security. That’s why the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) is urgently calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) today to reopen the government and ensure we can continue to provide affordable, reliable energy.”

October 2: “President Trump’s emergency order will insulate the energy industry from some impacts in the short-term, but even with that, a prolonged government shutdown risks undermining the broader energy ecosystem critical to our nation’s energy security. That’s why the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) is urgently calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) today to reopen the government and ensure we can continue to provide affordable, reliable energy.”

“Liberal politicians are using state governments and American citizens as bargaining chips in an attempt to undo important spending and healthcare reforms. Demands to repeal work requirements and extend COVID-era subsidies cannot be used as an excuse to hold our communities hostage. Every day of delay weakens confidence, disrupts paychecks, and places unfair strain on those who did nothing to cause this crisis. Americans don’t have patience for political games.” — Chuck DeVore, Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation

“A government shutdown is disruptive and harmful to the hardworking cattle producers that make up Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. Essential work, like the planning and construction of a domestic sterile fly facility to protect ranchers and landowners from New World screwworm, cannot be put on hold. Congress must act swiftly to pass this continuing resolution and provide the stability rural communities depend on.”

TABS Repeats Call for Immediate End to Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC – TABS Spokesperson Alexis Wilkins released the following statement on the second day of the government shutdown:

“Yesterday marked the first full day of a government shutdown. This was not caused by Republicans in Congress, but by Democrats who chose to prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens.

Leaders on the right have put forward a clean funding bill to keep the government open, ensure our troops are paid, secure the border, provide disaster relief, support low-income families, and protect vital services. Democrats refused to vote for this bill, instead pushing for provisions that include taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, massive foreign aid, and a radical spending agenda.

Our network of Angel Families is mortified that the left is willing to shut down the government to cater to the very same illegal immigrants and criminals who left these families without their own children. To put the interests of lawbreakers above the safety and well-being of American families is unconscionable.

It is time to end the shutdown, respect the will of the people, and put the safety and security of Americans first.”

The Payroll Group, the largest association of small and mid-sized independent payroll processors issued the following statement in response to the current shutdown of the US government.

“The Payroll Group urges bi-partisan support for the House passed continuing resolution. A
“clean-CR” which will keep the government open while bi-partisan negotiations around the FY 2026 Appropriations process continues is the best course of action.

As payroll professional, we must engage everyday with the Internal Revenue Service and other government agencies. With the IRS required to promulgate rules on President Trump’s signature no tax on tips and no tax on overtime for next year’s taxes this shut-down impacts their work and the work of our clients.

We urge the Congress to pass a clean-CR to reopen the government and continue negotiations on the appropriation bills,” said Danny Kline, President of the Payroll Group.

We urge Congress to pass a Continuing Resolution (“CR”). The CR will serve as a stop-gap for funding essential elements of the government. Both parties should unite for the good of the country and the citizenry.

A CR allows Congress several additional weeks to work with fellow members to come to a resolution that benefits America. Passing a CR is not a partisan victory- it is an act of unity and responsibility. It demonstrates to the American people that their elected officials can put aside political differences to maintain stability and continuity. By ensuring the government remains open and functional, Congress can continue important debates about long-term fiscal priorities.

We are asking the Democrat party to work hand-in-glove with Republicans for the betterment of every citizen. The threats to shut down the government must end now. Work in good faith with the Republican Party so that every voter will have the medical services and everyday services that families depend on for communities to run smoothly. A lapse in government operations would not only harm the economy and public health but also jeopardize national security. Again, we ask for divisiveness be replaced with common sense for the good of every American family.

“Unify U.S. 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.”

Government shutdown disproportionately harms Americans with disabilities. People with disabilities rely on stable healthcare programs, community supports, and benefit processing that cannot pause. United Cerebral Palsy urges Congress to continue working across the aisle to ensure continuity of these services and to protect the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities.

We are committed to working in partnership with policymakers to safeguard these essential programs.

“This government shut down has been tremendously disruptive to the American people. Hardworking American taxpayers are unable to access many government services because of the inability of the Congress to come to a short-term funding decision. An extended government shutdown could impact Federal employees looking to OPM to process their retirement, the upcoming open season for Medicare and those claiming Social Security benefits. It is time for the Senate to pass the clean continuing resolution which is before them and re-open the Government. Republicans and Democrats need to come together to negotiate the FY 2026 Appropriations bills before them and other pressing issues.”

To the Members of the United States Senate:

As the world’s largest business organization, representing members ranging from the small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country to the leading industry associations and global corporations, we urge you to pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. This legislation will fund the government at current levels, ensuring that the government functions millions of Americans rely on every day can continue as normal and that businesses who contract with the federal government do not experience any lapse in payments.

While businesses of all sizes need certainty through longer-term funding measures, history warns us that even a partial government shutdown has ripple effects on the U.S. economy. When the government partially shut down from December 2018 to January 2019, analysts estimate it reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters, including $3 billion the U.S. economy never regained.

Shutdowns are harmful to the economy, the American people, and our national security. Therefore, the U.S. Chamber urges you to pass the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026.

“On behalf of the U.S. Travel Association, which represents all components of the $1.3 trillion U.S. travel industry, I write to urge Congress to act swiftly to keep the federal government open and avoid a shutdown. 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 consequences of inaction are immediate and severe. A shutdown exacerbates staffing shortages among Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers, threatening longer airport security lines, flight delays, and cancellations. It halts hiring and training of new air traffic controllers when we are already short more than 2,800 controllers nationwide, and restarting the process adds further delays even after funding is restored. While Congress recently provided a $12.5 billion down payment to modernize our nation’s air travel system and improve safety and efficiency, this urgently needed modernization will stop in the event of a shutdown.”

“Travelers and communities also bear the brunt of closed or neglected National Parks and federally owned museums and attractions, diminished visitor experiences, and the erosion of vital infrastructure that sustains local economies across the country. According to a recent Ipsos survey, 60% of Americans say they would cancel or avoid trips by air in the event of a government shutdown. These harms ripple far beyond airports and parks, threatening jobs, small businesses, and economic growth in every state. Nearly nine in ten Americans across both political parties agree that Congress should work together to prevent a shutdown. The travel industry is proud to support millions of jobs and play an essential role in the U.S. economy. We urge you to meet this moment of responsibility and keep our government funded.”

The Vegas Chamber urges Congress to work together to avoid a lapse in appropriations and avoid a government shutdown that would harm Nevada’s workers and economy.

A shutdown would immediately disrupt air travel, customs processing, and other essential federal services that keep Nevada’s tourism economy moving. Visitors from around the world rely on safe, efficient travel to reach Las Vegas’s resorts, conventions, and small businesses. Any slowdown could reduce visitor confidence, directly impacting thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on a strong tourism sector.

Nevada is also home to about 22,000 federal employees in addition to thousands of federal contractors. A shutdown will impact their paychecks and stall services which will create broad economic consequences to the state.

“Nevada employers work every day to keep our economy strong. We urge leaders in both parties to set aside differences and deliver a bipartisan solution that keeps the government open and our economy moving,” said Mary Beth Sewald, President and CEO of the Vegas Chamber.

The Vegas Chamber is the largest business support organization in Nevada and is focused on helping Nevada businesses succeed and create jobs.

VETERAN ACTION CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO PASS CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HARMS MILITARY FAMILIES AND THREATENS NATIONAL SECURITY

Veteran Action today urged Congressional Democrats to immediately pass a clean continuing resolution to fund the federal government and prevent devastating impacts on active-duty military personnel, National Guard members, and veterans across the country. “Democrats are holding military families and veterans hostage over partisan politics,” said Mark Lucas, Founder & President of Veteran Action. “Democrats shut down the government to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants. Our servicemembers already face a demanding mission. Now they have to worry about paying their bills and feeding their families.” During a government shutdown, all active-duty military personnel and currently deployed National Guard members must continue performing their duties without pay until the shutdown ends. Veteran Action will hold Congressional Democrats responsible for the shutdown in the 2026 midterm elections.

Televised Interview: “We’re gonna hold every single one of these Democrats accountable for shutting down the government, for abandoning our soldiers, and their families.” Veteran Action founder @LucasIowa says there are electoral consequences for Democrats who refuse to fund the government.

The government shutdown is putting Veterans at risk. Delays in care, benefits, and critical programs are unacceptable. Veterans Guardian urges the Senate to restore operations now and protect those who’ve already sacrificed for our country. #EndTheShutdown #VeteransDeserveBetter

The government shutdown has begun, and America’s veterans are already suffering the consequences. I am calling on VVA’s members to remind your US Senators of the effect this has on veterans.

Tell your Senators to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown. Add no unrelated riders. Include no political games. Just keep the government operating at its current levels so that veterans and their families do not become collateral damage.

Veterans, men and women who are aging, facing chronic illnesses, and living with wounds both seen and unseen, are being placed at risk every day this shutdown continues. For them, the shutdown means:

Claims and benefit processing are delayed, creating backlogs that will take months to resolve.
VA community programs, Transition Assistance Programs, and GI Bill hotlines are suspended, leaving veterans and families without essential support.

Caregiver stipends and housing assistance for homeless veterans are disrupted. Research on toxic exposures and service-related illnesses has been frozen. Regional VA offices are closed.

VA cemetery services are curtailed, dishonoring the men and women who served. These are not “extras.” They are the services that knit veterans’ lives together, and help them transition from service, sustain livelihoods, honor their fallen, and support their families. Suspending them is an act of neglect.

Tell your Senators to put partisanship aside and pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown.

Respectfully,
Tom Burke
President
Vietnam Veterans of America

“The Virginia Chamber of Commerce urges leaders in Washington to work together and find a bipartisan solution to end the current federal government shutdown. A shutdown will inflict immediate harm to Virginia’s economy, workforce, and businesses by creating uncertainty for industries and delaying critical federal services and projects that employers and communities rely on. The Virginia Chamber calls on Congress and the Administration to act swiftly in the best interest of the Commonwealth and the nation.”

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) President & CEO Kurt Bauer issued a statement in support of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 – legislation passed by the US House of Representatives to extend government funding at current levels through November 21, 2025:

“Stability and reliability are vitally important for Wisconsin businesses and manufacturers. A federal government shutdown introduces unnecessary disruptions in planning and confidence for these businesses. WMC applauds House Republicans for introducing and passing fiscally responsible legislation and urges the Senate to also pass the clean continuing resolution to reopen the federal government. Passing the resolution without saddling taxpayers with new debt, from $1.5 trillion in unsustainable new spending, is the only reasonable path forward. Refusal to do so will disrupt Wisconsin businesses and slow momentum in our economy.”

YJC calls on Senate Democrats to be reasonable and support a clean funding extension. Americans can’t afford a government shutdown. Our troops, veterans, first responders, families, small businesses, and community health all depend on it. We call on Senate Democrats: stop the games, keep the government open, and protect the people you serve.