Congress must act now to avoid a federal government shutdown, which is set to begin at midnight on December 21 unless a funding deal is reached immediately. Any government shutdown would cause grave harms for people around the United States and damage the institutions that support so many.
Funding the government is one of the most basic responsibilities of Congress. Shutting down the U.S. government is a failure of leadership and of our elected officials.
A government shutdown has far-reaching implications for the United States as it impacts the livelihoods of federal employees and their families, including military personnel, who would go into the holiday season without a paycheck. A shutdown heightens risk and hardship for those relying on federal support for food, housing, medical services and more, and the impact reverberates throughout our economy. Finally, a shutdown means vital government services such as airport security, loan processing, and services for Native American communities will be under-resourced or nonexistent.
Congress must act to protect the vulnerable, support our public servants and military personnel, and ensure funds for disaster recovery are present to help those in need. We urge all members of Congress to do what they were elected to do and fund the government.