Government Shutdowns

With the chances of a federal government shutdown increasing, you can rest assured that the Missouri Municipal League will stay open to serve Missouri's cities and villages. Although we're open for business, you may be wondering how a federal shutdown could affect state & local governments. Well, that's a bit more complex. For now, the answer would be "it depends," and the impacts often cannot be measured until the damage is already done. How would a government shutdown directly affect your community?

One alternative to shutdowns that's gaining some bipartisan support is the "Prevent Government Shutdowns Act," which would automatically trigger two weeks of additional federal funding and force Congress to focus solely on passing spending bills during the time immediately after Congress misses its September 30 funding deadline. Is this a viable solution, or a stopgap measure that fails to address the bigger picture?

In the meantime, the White House and Congressional Research Service have published contingency plans and frequently asked questions about government shutdowns.