Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Peters, Levin, and Jacobs hosted a virtual press conference to share updates on federal budget negotiations and highlight the consequences of a Republican government shutdown for San Diego families, businesses, and servicemembers.   

House Democrats remain ready, willing, and able to reach a bipartisan agreement to keep government open and lower health care costs for Americans. However, this morning, Republicans shockingly adjourned the House of Representatives until Friday, October 3^rd, just hours before a government shutdown which will force troops to work without pay, harm small businesses, risk air travel disruptions, and endanger access to Head Start for families struggling to pay for childcare.  

“President Trump is in the White House and Republicans control the House and Senate — if there is a shutdown, it falls squarely on their shoulders because they chose to shut it down rather than pass a budget that serves the American people,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “The partisan Republican budget bill would allow the cost of healthcare to skyrocket for millions of Americans starting tomorrow, October 1^st. This is in addition to higher costs for groceries, energy, rent, cars and living expenses because of President Trump’s tariffs and attacks on energy projects. I will continue to do everything in my power to keep the government open and protect San Diego families from a costly government shutdown.” 

"Let’s be clear. Republicans control the House. Republicans control the Senate. Trump is in the White House. If the government shuts down, it is because they wanted it to shut down. Because they refused to negotiate. This is on them,” said Rep. Levin. “I have been working in San Diego and Orange County, and in Washington, to prevent a shutdown and protect the services that American families depend on. And while I will keep working in good faith, I will not compromise health care for my constituents.”

“Since Donald Trump took office again, he’s essentially been shutting down the government, illegally withholding billions of congressionally-appropriated dollars, firing federal workers on a whim, and slashing critical government programs," said Rep. Sara Jacobs. "That’s why Democrats are fighting back. We offered a simple proposal: reverse Medicaid cuts, extend ACA premium tax credits, and respect Congress’s power of the purse. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House – and if they want Democratic votes, they know how to earn them.”

A recording of the press conference is available here.  

Find a detailed FAQ on what a shutdown would mean for essential services and San Diego families here. 

According to recent data, a government shutdown would mean: 

San Diego 

• In CA50, 28,000 people will see their health care costs rise if Republicans let critical tax credits expire. 
• 117,000 active duty and reserve servicemembers in San Diego County and 34,000 military affiliated and VA civilian jobs throughout the County would be forced to work without pay during a shutdown. 
• For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 per year in our community, their annual healthcare premiums will rise by 265% unless Congress takes action. For a family of four earning $64,000 per year, that number is 664%. 

California 

• 238,366 active duty and reserve personnel serving our armed forces in California would be forced to work without pay during a shutdown.  
• 660,000 people flying through California airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers. 
• 253,600 federal workers in California would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut. 
• 5.38 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in California would lose access to benefits in a prolonged shutdown. 
• 36.2 million visitors to California's 28 national parks in 2024. Those visitors spent $3.2B across the state and supported 39,678 jobs which in total comes to a $5.1B dollar positive statewide impact.  Families who’ve already booked their travel would be turned away from park access, monuments, and museums, causing them to lose their hard-earned money. 
• State governments would be forced to pay for federal services like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially risking benefits for the TANF beneficiaries in California. 
• The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides roughly $4 million in funding to small businesses in California every year. 
• The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans. The USDA issued 22,989 residential loans in California in 2024, over 90% of which were first-time buyers. 
• The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans, which provide $78,580,000 in funding for farmers in California every year. 

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