Joint Center Releases Statement in Response to Government Shutdown Surpassing Historical Record

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, the government shutdown surpassed the record for the longest government shutdown in history, previously set by a 35-day partial shutdown from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019. In response to the longest government shutdown, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies issued the following statement:

“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing federal government shutdown and its disproportionate impact on Black workers, families, and communities,” said Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad. “Nearly 19 percent of the federal workforce identifies as Black — a representation that reflects federal employment’s leading role in moving past historic discrimination in hiring of African Americans and creating a key pathway to economic stability and middle-class opportunity. The lack of Black representation in the highest levels of government, paired with the recent mass layoffs, policy reversals, and cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, threatens to erode decades of progress toward fair representation in public service. The reality of a deep racial wealth divide where the majority of African Americans living in asset poverty makes the current layoffs and income insecurity of a closed government particularly devastating for Black households.”

Asante-Muhammad, added, “Although contingency funds are set to provide partial aid to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), many families still feel the strain of delayed benefits amid the broader economic instability caused by the government shutdown. The uncertainty created by the shutdown compounds financial strain in communities with fewer buffers and greater exposure to economic shocks. This moment in time represents much more than a temporary disruption. For Black workers and families whose communities disproportionately rely on government employment and government investments found in safety-net programs, the combined effect of job loss and benefit delays deepens existing racial inequities.”

The Joint Center calls for urgent attention to the economic and social consequences of this shutdown. Protecting the financial security of Black workers and restoring stable federal operations must be an immediate national priority. The path forward requires an equity-centered recovery that addresses both the short-term harm of lost income and the long-term disparities in savings, wealth, and opportunity that leave Black communities most exposed during economic crises.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Kennedy Fortner, kennedy.fortner@jointcenter.org