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National Academy of Public Administration President & CEO James-Christian Blockwood statement on the longest government shutdown in US history

Post Date: November 05, 2025

For Immediate Release

November 5, 2025

Contact: Matt Hampton mhampton@napawash.org

National Academy of Public Administration President & CEO James-Christian Blockwood statement on the longest government shutdown in US history

“Today, we have crossed an unfortunate milestone: the longest government shutdown in our country's history.

This shutdown is happening because Congress has failed to reach an agreement on funding the government. Passing a budget is one of its core responsibilities. The White House also has a role to play.

This breakdown in our system has real and widespread impacts: hundreds of thousands of public servants working without pay, billions of dollars in waste and lost productivity, and millions of Americans left without essential services.

Our elected leaders must act urgently to fund and reopen the federal government.

Shutdowns and continuing resolutions are no way to govern. To prevent future lapses in appropriations, Congress should prioritize reforms that ensure continuity of operations and accountability, including but not limited to legislation that modernizes the more than 50-year-old budget process, considers a new budget cycle, and requires Congress remain in session until appropriations are enacted.

Good government depends on strong leadership that can effectively manage the federal budget. This shutdown represents a failure in our budget process at a time when public trust in government is already unacceptably low. This cannot and should not continue.”

About the National Academy of Public Administration

Chartered by Congress to provide nonpartisan expert advice, the Academy is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1967 to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations. Learn more at www.napawash.org. ###