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US Chamber to Congress on Shutdown: ‘Enough’

[ November 7, 2025   //   ]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne P. Clark, in a letter to Congress Nov. 6 called on Senate Democrats to immediately vote to reopen the federal government and work with Republicans to address pressing issues such as healthcare affordability.

“ENOUGH. Government shutdowns are always counterproductive, imposing heavy burdens on federal employees and contractors as well as the businesses and citizens who rely on the services government provides,” she noted in the letter ((https://tinyurl.com/4xhzwkzz).

“We have been through shutdowns before, but this one – the longest full government shutdown in American history – is now putting the safety and livelihood of the American people at risk. Each day the federal government remains closed, the likelihood of a catastrophic event increases,” she said.

Clark also acknowledged “the challenges inherent in securing the 60 votes required to advance legislation in the Senate,” but reiterated “these difficulties should never justify government shutdowns or attempts to abolish the legislative filibuster.” The Chamber has consistently emphasized consistently emphasized that “the 60-vote threshold for most legislation plays a vital role in fostering lasting compromises, as intended by our Founders. (https://tinyurl.com/yfzs3fd2). This process has been instrumental in supporting the nation and free enterprise for nearly 250 years.”

Since the onset of the shutdown, the Chamber has highlighted the harm it has inflicted on small businesses, the economy, and national security. 

A Chamber analysis (https://tinyurl.com/2vakzfxt) shows that 65,500 small business contractors across the U.S. have nearly US$3 billion a week at risk, with US$12 billion in October alone. The impact to businesses and the American economy is piling up as the shutdown lingers.

When the government partially shut down from December 2018 to January 2019, it reduced economic output by US$11 billion in the following two quarters, including US$3 billion the U.S. economy never regained, analysts estimate.

“In communities across the country, businesses and Americans rely on the functions of government,” said Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “From passports and permits to clinical trials and air travel, a well-functioning economy requires a functioning government.

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