The Trump administration has, unsurprisingly, done a terrible—and perhaps decisively inadequate—job of cutting the cord in preparation for a government shutdown. If Congress can’t come to a funding agreement, the shutdown could occur in less than three days. Now, federal agencies need to prepare for widespread firings. A recent memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) highlighted just how urgent these layoffs are—staring us square in the face.
As talks between legislators continue to be deadlocked, tempers are flaring. President Donald Trump, congressional Republican leaders—and now see above photo—Democratic leaders. Their mutually exclusive health care requirements may blow up any funding agreement. The President was slated to meet with the Democratic leadership to address these issues. Then he canceled the meeting, an unprecedented step that made it even more difficult to avoid a shutdown.
GOP leaders appear tentative at best about ensuring that fight over Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits happen this year. The first step would be to litigate the ongoing shutdown. Democrats are pretty dug in on their health care asks. When Trump decides to squander his time at an unhelpful Ryder Cup golf event, said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the number five Democrat in the House.
In 2013, history repeated itself. The last time the federal government shut down, approximately 850,000 federal employees were furloughed—imposing far-reaching turmoil on millions. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget is not overstating the consequences of a shutdown like this as deadly. They project that health care providers would forego as much as $32 billion if ACA tax credits were not extended.
The economic impact of a federal government shutdown goes far past all the federal jobs. National Association of Counties Funding extenders Health Care A long-term government shutdown would significantly hurt every sector—including health care. In-depth reporting indicates that expiration of ACA-related tax credits has fueled the beginning of these negotiations. This problem would have far-reaching consequences for millions.
Trump’s recent remarks reflect his administration’s determination regarding federal workforce reductions.
“We are going to cut a lot of the people that … we’re able to cut on a permanent basis.” – Donald Trump
As the funding deadline of Nov. 17 looms, the pressure for lawmakers to reach bipartisan agreement grows more urgent. And the clock is ticking—the pressure is intensifying on Congress to deliver. The federal employees and American public are the ones that will suffer the cruel impacts of a shutdown.