1. United States
2. Ore.
3. Letter

A government shutdown would cause catastrophic harm to millions of Americans. Federal employees, including frontline workers, would go without pay, facing extreme financial hardship. Vital public services ranging from healthcare and food assistance to housing aid and environmental protection would grind to a halt, leaving vulnerable populations at grave risk. Economic progress would stall as markets lose confidence. There is no justification for allowing such widespread suffering and disruption to occur. A bipartisan agreement must be reached immediately to keep the government operating and prevent this looming crisis from materializing.