WASHINGTON–The package currently being considered by the Senate to bring the government shutdown to an end includes funding that runs out in January, Could that mean yet another shutdown with the new year?
“There are a lot of people are actually questioning that, but I don’t think so,” said Greg Mesack, SVP-advocacy with America’s Credit Unions.
Mesack said he believes many in Congress now recognize this latest shutdown was “particularly painful.”
“I think there was lot of pent-up demand on both sides to make their points…and it’s unfortunate for the working families out there that had to suffer because of that,” Mesack said. “I used to joke that every five or six years they shut down the government to remember that it’s a bad idea to shut down the government. I think that’s what this exercise was.”
Moving into 2026 will be a different situation with the expiration of the newest continuing resolution, noted Mesack, pointing out the current package before the Senate also includes three of the 12 funding bills that need to be passed, and includes funds for social programs such as SNAP and WIC, as well as for the Veterans Administration and funding for the executive branch for a full year.
Similarly, he said the House has already pushed many of the most sensitive bills through committees.
‘Hashing This Out’
“I think that going through January gives them the time to finish hashing this out,” Mesack offered. “There is absolutely a risk that we could shut down again, but I think there’s actually a lot of momentum, a lot of understanding about how this shutdown has changed very little.”
Mesack noted the Democrats will have a chance in December to hold a vote on subsidies for Obamacare, the expiration of which Dems had said was the reason they supported the shutdown. The Senate bill includes no funding for the subsidies.
The Other Thing to Remember
There is another factor to be considering as well when it comes to another shutdown, pointed out America’s Credit Unions’ new president and CEO, Scott Simpson, and that is 2026 is an election year.
He said he believes many elected officials will be sensitive to the consequences of “political violence” as 2026 progresses, stressing that the reference to violence is a metaphor for the attempts by either party to use another shutdown to score political points.
And the Point Was?
Meanwhile, when asked by the CU Daily what the point of this most recent federal shutdown was, given that the Democrats received none of their demands as part of the agreement by some Dems to vote in favor of ending the stalemate, Jason Stverak of the Defense Credit union Council responded, “I don’t know. If you ask the Democrats, what they’ve said publicly is it was to raise the issue of the Obamacare subsidies. Many of them said they were going to keep the government shut until they got an exact agreement (on the subsidies). Our understanding is the only agreement has been signed off on by the Majority Leader is that on either the second or third week in December the Democrats in the Senate will be able to bring up legislation of their choosing on Obamacare subsidies. There’s no guarantee of passage, there’s no guarantee of that moving forward and, as has been reported in the media in D.C. here, this is the exact same agreement, essentially, that the Majority Leader offered 30 or 40 days ago.
“We’re essentially at the same spot and SNAP benefits are exhausted and some people have missed payrolls.”
Desert Financial Joins DCUC
Separately, the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) said it has welcomed Desert Financial Credit Union as its newest member. The $9-billion DFCU has more than 500,000 members.
“At Desert Financial, our mission has always been to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve,” EVP Ron Amstutz said in a statement. “Joining the Defense Credit Union Council allows us to expand that commitment to include our military members, veterans, and their families—communities that exemplify service, integrity, and resilience. We’re proud to partner with DCUC and join a network of credit unions that share our dedication to service and impact.”
‘Honored to Welcome’
Added DCUC President/CEO Anthony Hernandez in a statement: “We’re honored to welcome Desert Financial Credit Union into the DCUC family. Their long history of member service, community investment, and commitment to financial empowerment aligns perfectly with DCUC’s mission. Together, we’ll continue to strengthen the credit union movement and also ensure that those who serve our nation have access to trusted, value-driven financial partners.”
