What You Need To Know About The Government Shutdown

Edward Hoi, Staff Writer

Due to an inability to pass an appropriations bill, the U.S. government has shut down. “Government shutdowns have been happening for decades now,” social studies teacher Alyson Choi said. “ They typically happen at the end of the fiscal year, which is Sept. 30. Then starting the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 is when the government can’t come to a resolution on how they should spend their money. So it happens every few years, typically, the result of partisan disagreement.”

The U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 due to the disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over budget resolutions for the new fiscal year, interrupting government services and affecting thousands of federal workers, according to BBC News.

Although essential services such as air traffic control will continue as normal, workers will not be paid until the shutdown ends. Nonessential federal workers such as those who are part of the National Park Service will be furloughed, or temporarily put on unpaid leave, according to Time.

“Anytime a government shutdown happens, it’s not good for anyone,” social studies teacher Samantha Ezratty said. “It means that a lot of federal workers are working without pay. They can’t put food on the table for their family. It’s not good for our political institutions. It means people lose trust in our government to say it can’t do its fundamental, basic job of passing laws.”

The shutdown was prompted largely by a disagreement over extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Democratic lawmakers are in favor of extending subsidies, while Republican lawmakers argue that doing so would provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants, which is false, according to NPR.

“The core belief of Republicans is against the idea of government intervention, especially in areas like healthcare,” senior Rishabh Garg said. “By making it an issue about [undocumented] immigration…[the president is] appealing to his base … I think that helps him stay in power, especially where a lot of projections are showing that Democrats are planning to retake the House in 2026, so these kinds of political activities [such as] blaming the Democrats help sway those kinds of elections in his favor.”

While the government shutdown may not directly affect most students, they should still stay informed about the current state of the government, according to social studies teacher Alyson Choi.

“Students should read up and be informed on when events like [government shutdowns] are happening,” Choi said. “I think that it’s easy to go on with their lives, and as much as is necessary to push along, being aware of what’s happening in the news is really important.”

It is unclear how long the government shutdown will last. The previous shutdown occurred during President Donald Trump’s previous presidency, lasting 35 days as the longest shutdown in history, according to NPR.

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About the Contributor

Edward Hoi, Staff Writer

Edward Hoi is a staff writer for his first year on the Portola Pilot. This year, he looks forward to writing engaging stories on topics that interest him. Outside the newsroom, you can frequently find him agonizing over various philosophical works (specifically in the fields of political philosophy and existentialism) or studying for competitions.