By Ray Birch
WASHINGTON—As Congress moves to end the historic weeks-long federal government shutdown, some in Washington are asking what, if anything, was accomplished—especially since the final deal mirrors proposals rejected more than a month ago.
Jason Stverak, chief advocacy officer with the Defense Credit Union Council, said the outcome leaves many wondering what the point of the shutdown was in the first place.
“I don’t know,” Stverak said. “If you ask the Democrats, what they’ve said publicly is that it was about raising the issue of Obamacare subsidies. Many said they would keep the government shut until they secured an agreement on that. From our understanding, the only thing that’s been agreed to is that sometime in mid-December the Senate Democrats will be able to bring up a piece of legislation of their choosing on Obamacare subsidies for a vote. There’s no guarantee it passes, no guarantee it moves forward.”
Stverak noted that what’s now being finalized is “essentially the same agreement that Majority Leader (John) Thune offered 30 or 40 days ago.”
“So, your guess is as good as mine as to what the last 40 days accomplished,” he said. “SNAP benefits have been exhausted, and some people have missed three to four paychecks. We’re essentially right back where we started.”
When asked if the same stalemate could re-emerge when the new continuing resolution expires at the end of January, Stverak said that’s possible—though with one key difference.
“Yes, except this time, if the current package passes as is, it will have fully funded the Agriculture Department,” he explained. “That includes SNAP, WIC, and all the related social welfare programs. So, if there’s another shutdown at the end of January, those programs are off the table. But otherwise, we could be right back in the same spot.”
ACU’s Perspective
America’s Credit Unions SVP of Advocacy Greg Mesack, too, wondered what was accomplished by the government with the closing.
“I don’t think much was accomplished. People recognize that this shutdown was particularly painful,” he said. “In many ways, it felt like there was pent-up pressure on both sides—lawmakers wanted to make their points and hold the line. Unfortunately, that meant working families were the ones who suffered for it.
“I’ve joked before that every five or six years, Congress shuts down the government just to remind themselves that it’s a bad idea—and that’s pretty much what this was,” continued Mesack. “No one came out ahead, and nothing really changed.”