Editorial of October 16, 2025

Is It Policy or Politics?

The last time portions of the U.S. government screeched to a halt was in December of 2018. The partial shutdown lasted 35 days, from December 22, 2018 until January 25, 2019, and was the result of a budget disagreement between Congressional Democrats and then-President Donald Trump over funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Nine federal departments and a number of independent agencies were forced to shut down some or all of their operations when Congress was unable to reach agreement. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018/2019 government shutdown cost the U.S. around $3 billion in permanent gross domestic product losses over two quarters.

According to Congress.gov, “The program activities of most federal agencies are generally funded on an annual basis through the enactment of regular appropriations acts. When those annual appropriations acts are not enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1), one or more continuing appropriations acts (commonly known as continuing resolutions or CRs) may be enacted to provide temporary funding to continue certain programs and activities until action on the regular appropriations acts is completed.”

Since 2021, Congress has passed 19 CRs into law without necessitating a shutdown:

• H.R.8337 – Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act
• H.R.8900 – Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act
• H.J.Res.107 – Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021
• H.J.Res.110 – Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021
• H.R.1520 – Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021
• H.R.5305 – Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act
• H.R.6119 – Further Extending Government Funding Act
• H.R.6617 – Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act
• H.J.Res.75 – Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2022
• H.R.6833 – Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023
• H.R.1437 – Further Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023
• H.R.4373 – Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023
• H.R.5860 – Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act
• H.R.6363 – Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024
• H.R.2872 – Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
• H.R.7463 – Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024
• H.R.9747 – Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025
• H.R.10545 – American Relief Act, 2025
• H.R.1968 – Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025

In 2018, parts of the government shut down because a consensus could not be reached about President Trump’s proposed border wall. This time around, despite the July 4, 2025 passage of Public Law No: 119-21, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and passage of the current CR by the House of Representatives, final budget approval for the 2025-2026 fiscal year is currently stalled in the Senate after nine—count them, nine—roll call votes.

Considering that 19 CRs under President Joe Biden were successfully passed, allowing funding to continue, is this responsible governance? The clock is ticking with regard to health insurance rates and coverage, and every day that goes by represents a further loss of services. Federal workers continue to go unpaid.

Is the current shutdown really a smart move or is it irresponsible? And is it based on policy differences, or on partisan politics? You be the judge.