WA Congressional delegates respond to shutdown

WASHINGTON D.C. – A government shutdown began at midnight Oct. 1, 2025, after Congress was unable to pass a new budget bill or continuing resolution before the deadline. The shutdown has cast a shadow over various sectors in Washington State, with potential implications for farmers, small businesses and public health. Lawmakers from both parties are weighing in on the effects and responsibilities surrounding the funding impasse. 

Congressman Dan Newhouse, R-Fourth District, voiced his disapproval of the shutdown in a recent statement, attributing the shutdown to Senate Democrats' refusal to pass a clean continuing resolution. 

“Congress has the responsibility under our Constitution to fund the federal government, and allowing a shutdown is a disservice to the American people,” Newhouse said. 

He highlighted the potential fallout for Evergreen State farmers and ranchers in the Methow and Yakima valleys, stating they would lose access to essential services from the Farm Service Agency, which are important for everything from farm operating loans to crop disaster programs. 

Newhouse also stressed the broader economic implications for small businesses in the Tri-Cities, noting that a halted government would limit access to Small Business Administration financing.  

“Congress passed historic pro-small business laws in the Working Families Tax Cuts set to take effect this year. A government shutdown would impede small businesses’ ability to take advantage of those policies,” he said in a statement. 

In addition to agriculture and small business concerns, Newhouse noted the impact on veterans in the region who may find local offices closed, limiting their access to necessary resources such as counseling and treatment. He said the absence of staff would lead to an overwhelming backlog when services resume, putting additional strain on an already stretched system. 

Congressman Michael Baumgartner, R-Fifth District, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing fiscal responsibility amidst a growing national debt, which he cited as over $37.5 trillion.  

“Taxpayers deserve a government that spends their money wisely,” Baumgartner said in a statement.  

Like Newhouse, he blamed the current standoff on Democrats’ refusal to negotiate in good faith, particularly on spending levels. He criticized Democratic leaders for what he termed “unrealistic demands,” including expansions of health care programs he believed should not be part of government funding negotiations. 

Republicans in Congress have said Democrats are asking for undocumented immigrants to have access to health care through federal programs. However, no bills or amendments to bills proposed by Democrats in Congress contain wording addressing undocumented immigrant health care or insurance and the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid do not allow undocumented people to obtain services under those programs, with few exceptions related to emergencies and children. 

U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-WA, countered by saying the potential health care crisis was exacerbated by the shutdown. Murray conducted a press conference with small business owners to discuss the fallout from the reduced access to health care stemming from a lack of ACA tax credits.  

“Well, clearly Republicans are feeling the heat from folks back home, because in just the last 24 hours we have seen the Speaker go out and say that ‘Republicans are the ones concerned about health care,’ after they just cut more than $1 trillion from health care in their Big Ugly Bill,” Murray said in a statement. “And we saw the President, in a major break from his Congressional leadership, tell reporters he was ready to cut a deal.” 

Murray highlighted the detrimental effects on small businesses, particularly those in Washington State, asserting that half of the people enrolled through the ACA market are small business owners, employees, or self-employed individuals.  

“Small businesses, which account for half of job growth, will have to stop hiring. Many will have to let people go. Some small business owners may just have to close their doors entirely,” she said. 

According to a Forbes report, a family of four paying $450 per month in 2025 could face premiums of about $950 per month in 2026. With that, millions of Americans could either lose health coverage or have to pay double or more — about 118% more — under the current version of the bill. 

Senator Maria Cantwell, D-WA, also criticized her Republican counterparts, emphasizing the need for immediate negotiations to address the health service affordability crisis.  

“You have no ideas on how you are going to help keep people insured, or keep these hospitals operating,” Cantwell said during remarks on the Senate floor. “So, instead of meaningful negotiations, my colleagues have decided they don't want to tell us what their ideas are to deal with the current crisis. It is not a next year problem, it is a today problem.” 

She insisted that Republicans needed to prioritize meaningful talks over party politics amid the ongoing budget crisis.