This week, the longest running federal government shutdown officially ended — lasting a total of 43 days. This shutdown was the result of a failure of congressional leadership to address the critical issues — including health care costs — that disproportionately impact Black people.
Thousands of Black federal workers were furloughed or forced to work without pay throughout the shutdown. And millions of people lost access to critical federal programs like SNAP, as the administration attempted to withhold emergency funding while Congress remained in gridlock.
While the end of the shutdown will bring much-need relief to millions of Black people, federal legislators passed the funding measure while failing to adequately respond to many challenges currently confronting Black communities, including the need to lower health care premiums. If Congress doesn’t address these costs, countless Black individuals, and everyone who receives health care subsidies through the Affordable Care Act, could experience tremendous financial strain.
In response, LDF Director of Policy Demetria McCain issued the following statement:
“This shutdown has come to an end, but a simple fact remains: countless families across the country are left in a precarious economic situation with no clear respite in sight.
“Health care costs are skyrocketing and people are struggling to afford going to the doctor. Unemployment in Black communities is at its highest since 2021. Funds are being diverted from critically important services and programs and funneled into the serial militarization of our cities. And unfortunately, the list of issues leadership has neglected to address goes on. This is not a government functioning on behalf of the people. LDF calls on Congress to immediately take action to lower health care costs and to fully fund federal programs for the rest of the fiscal year.”
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957 — although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
