Americans, businesses and communities faced the threat this week of needless disruptions that would result from a partial government shutdown.
Fill me in: The House and Senate approved temporary measures on Thursday to fund the government and avert a shutdown.
Why it matters: For months, Congress has kicked the can down the road on approving government funding. If Congress hadn’t passed the stopgap bills, parts of the federal government would have run out of money on March 1. With the latest measures, the deadlines have been pushed back to March 8 and March 22.
Details: The ripple effects of a partial shutdown would be felt nationwide. Its real-world implications include:
- Companies not being able to get government permits – from energy production to building infrastructure – to do business.
- Federal contractors and subcontractors not getting paid, putting huge financial strains on businesses and their employees.
Our take: Businesses of all sizes rely on the government doing its job, so they can do theirs. "A government shutdown isn't inevitable – it's a choice. And a dumb one," Chamber Executive Vice President Neil Bradley wrote in September in USA Today – a statement that is still relevant now. A government shutdown, even a partial one, is bad for businesses.
