John,

After months of Congressional inaction―highlighted by dysfunction in the House Republican caucus―we are now just weeks away from another potential government shutdown.

Government shutdowns do one thing and one thing only: harm people—especially those with government jobs and those living paycheck to paycheck, as well as individuals who rely on government programs such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition aid, Head Start, and SNAP. We all suffer when food and worker safety inspections are delayed and health research is interrupted. And although Social Security and SSI/SSDI benefits will still be paid, people who are applying or trying to resolve a problem will have to wait a long time to get help.

We cannot allow our government to be held hostage by extremists who want to force draconian cuts on popular programs and push for harsh policies that criminalize vulnerable people.

Sign now to tell Congress: No government shutdown, again!

If Congress fails to do its job and pass long-term bipartisan funding bills, hundreds of thousands of government employees will be furloughed—meaning they don’t report to work and don’t get paid—or if they’re considered “essential,” they will be forced to work, but without pay.

A shutdown will also delay or interrupt services for millions of people due to certain agencies shutting down completely, or agencies that will stay open, but with a significantly smaller staff. Here are just some of the effects:¹

• The Food and Drug Administration would be unable to carry out most of its food inspection responsibilities

• No new Social Security cards will be processed and—depending how long a potential shutdown lasts—customer service for the Social Security Administration could be significantly disrupted

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections would stop

• The National Labor Relations Board’s ability to mediate labor disputes would stop

• The Environmental Protection Agency’s inspections of drinking water systems, hazardous waste sites, and others will stop

• While all Veterans Affairs medical facilities and clinics will remain open, their call centers and hotlines will not

• Immigration court hearings will be canceled, affecting tens of thousands of migrants and adding to the backlog

• 10,000 or more children could be turned away from Head Start and WIC within weeks, with additional thousands more losing access if a shutdown lasts more than a month

Forcing a government shutdown over extreme ideologies will only cause needless suffering for millions of people. We’re demanding Congress do its job and, again, avert a government shutdown. Add your name now.

Thank you for taking action today to hold Congress accountable to the American people,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ Impacts of Government Shutdowns