Shutdown Update: Congress Forgot Who It Works For, and Americans Are Paying the Price

By Emma Goos

Nearly a month has passed since the government shut down at midnight on October 1. In that time the warnings have become reality. Federal workers are now facing late rent, maxed out credit cards, and a government that refuses to guarantee they will ever see back pay. According to the latest reports, hundreds of thousands remain furloughed without a paycheck while others continue working with no certainty they will be compensated.

This shutdown is not frozen in place. It is getting worse. Airlines and airports are already strained by short staffing, and flight delays around the country are piling up. Air traffic controllers and TSA workers are still on duty, but they are exhausted and unpaid. Recent reporting shows travel disruptions increasing as this continues. Families who rely on federal support are also running out of time. States are warning that SNAP food benefits could run short if Congress does not act soon. Schools and childcare centers that depend on federal support are preparing for cuts and closures. Health care funding is in limbo while political leaders fight over proposals that would raise costs for ordinary people.

For many workers, this shutdown feels different from those before it. The administration has openly questioned whether furloughed employees should receive automatic back pay. That threat has left families uncertain about their futures in a way that no previous shutdown has. While everyday Americans are forced to carry the burden, the people who caused this crisis have insulated themselves from its consequences. Members of Congress still collect their salaries. They still receive their benefits. They still go on television to argue instead of legislating. Polls show that most Americans blame House Republicans for failing to advance a funding plan, yet the stalemate continues.

Here in Michigan, the impact grows every day. Veterans waiting for medical appointments. Small businesses stalled on federal contracts. Airport workers stretched to their limits. College students are anxious about Pell Grants and work-study funding. These are not abstract political chess pieces. They are our neighbors and our families.

This was never necessary. It is a crisis created entirely by political choices. The path forward is as simple as it has always been. Congress must pass a budget that protects working people instead of punishing them. Every day this continues is a reminder of what our elected leaders value. If they cared about the public good, families would not be left wondering how they will buy groceries next week. If they cared about service, workers would not be forced into debt to keep vital services running. If they cared about the country at all, they would end this today.

We cannot let this become normal. The longer the government remains shut down, the more trust is lost. And trust once broken is hard to rebuild.

The people deserve a government that remembers who it works for. Until Congress does its job, it is failing all of us. That failure demands a response from the people who are being asked to pay the price.

It’s time for our representatives to hear directly from the people they were elected to serve.

Call Congressman Bill Huizenga and Tim Walberg and tell them that they must immediately move to end this government shutdown by extending the ACA tax credits and blocking the budget cuts and mass layoffs of federal workers. Our districts deserve leadership that protects working families, not chaos.

Call Senator Elissa Slotkin and Senator Gary Peters and let them know that Michigan expects strong opposition to any federal budget deal that does not extend the ACA tax credits and block the budget cuts and mass layoffs of federal workers. We need them to stand firm against harmful cuts that would push more families into crisis.

Your voice matters. Your pressure matters. The shutdown has real consequences here at home and ending it requires all of us stepping up. Because when a government stops serving the people, the people must hold it accountable. And Berrien County is ready to be heard.

Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-4) (R)

DC Office: (202) 225-4401

Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-5) (R) 

DC Office: (202) 225-6276

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (MI) (D)

DC Office: (202) 224-4822

Sen. Gary Peters (MI) (D)

DC Office: (202) 224-6221

AP News. “Government shutdown takes hold with no end in sight.” Oct. 2025.

AP News. “The US government shutdown could impact travel plans.” Oct. 2025.

AP News. “States worry about how to fill the gap in food aid ahead of a federal benefits halt.” Oct. 2025.

AP News. “In shutdown federal workers face financial strain and fear layoffs as the government shutdown drags on.” Oct. 2025.

AP News. “Senate rejects bills to pay federal workers during government shutdown.” Oct. 2025.

PBS NewsHour. “Americans are more likely to blame the GOP for a shutdown, poll finds.” Oct. 2025.