Government Shutdown Drags On, Impacts of Federal-Funding Losses Spread

On October 1, the federal government entered a shutdown after a congressional failure to pass new federal-funding legislation. Since then, Americans nationwide have felt the hit. Over twenty days long, the shutdown is now the second-longest funding lapse in modern US history. With tens of millions and a wide array of agencies relying on federal funding, the shutdown has reminded American citizens of the wide-ranging nature of federal spending. In March, Congress was at risk of a partial shutdown, but passed a six-month continuing resolution, extending funding until September 30 and ending the immediate crisis risk, but failing to solve the underlying budget disagreements.

Since the shutdown began, many critical federal workers have been forced to work without pay. For example, with pay cuts felt by federal air-travel employees, flights across the country have been delayed and cancelled, and airports central to smooth domestic travel – including Laguardia in New York – have felt major disruptions. Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the Pentagon managed to shift $8 billion away from military research in order to pay servicemembers. This was noted as only a “temporary fix,” with warning signs of a lack of troop paychecks flashing if the shutdown persists. In recent days, the approximately 42 million Americans who benefit from SNAP –  the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – have felt the hit. States including New Jersey, Illinois, California, New York, and Texas have issued warnings that November SNAP benefits could be affected if the shutdown holds. In Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, officials have issued statements dictating that November benefits will not be paid, even if the shutdown ends. National parks and their surrounding areas of economic activity have taken huge losses as well. For example, Stacey Schnebel – the owner of Park Provisions and Stonefly Lounge, found just outside Glacier National Park in Montana – indicated that her operation has lost over 38.5% in sales since the shutdown began. Small restaurants and businesses around the country are being affected by the lack of funding and visitors to national parks, with an estimated $80 million in lost visitor spending per day in hotels, shops, gear rentals, restaurants, and other commercial locations.

Partisan struggles are flaring amid the shutdown, with both sides attempting to shift blame to the other, across state leadership and both chambers of Congress. The Trump administration has been leading these efforts from the GOP and has repeatedly shifted blame to Democrats in public statements, through federal websites, on social media, and through other media. A recent poll from Reuters found that almost half of the Americans surveyed believed that Republican congressional leadership is to blame, among other indicators that a large share of the American population is placing blame on the GOP. Amid this volatility, President Trump’s approval rating is up approximately 2%, at 40-44% at the current moment. As the shutdown extends, its pain is being felt across the United States by critical agencies and in the daily lives of Americans. Federal workers remain unpaid, essential programs are suspended, and frustration is rising as the shutdown has the potential to become the longest in US history.