On September 30, 2023, the United States government was in a state of emergency and peril. The government was set to shut down by the end of the day at midnight. For many, hope seemed bleak as the government shutdown loomed, and the government being unable to make much progress in restoring faith and confidence to the American people didn’t help the situation. However, according to NBC, in the nick of time, the government shutdown was averted by a last-minute agreement. This agreement was reached in the final hours of Saturday, and passed by the House and Senate before the government shutdown was to take effect. Late on Saturday night, a bill reached President Biden’s desk to keep the government funded through November 17 which he was able to sign with merely a few hours left. Although a major government shutdown was averted, according to NBC, the bill pushed by top Republicans like Kevin McCarthy did not include funding for the ongoing war in Ukraine. As a result of Congress’s efforts, the government shutdown is no longer an imminent threat to our country.The fact remains that in November, Congress will face the same hoop they have just jumped through, and if a deal is not made in time, the government shutdown will be a viable problem for the nation. This is why action must be taken so that Congress can make this temporary solution into something that can provide tangible progress, and end the possibility of a government shutdown in the near future.

The threat of a government shutdown would negatively impact many sectors of society. Not only would public funds, corporations, and schools lose their public support, but many private entities could be impacted as well. Although Union is a private college, the school still receives a portion of their funding from the government. This could put the institution at risk of facing serious economic problems. Additionally, this could significantly ramp up entities like the cost of tuition for the students. A government shutdown would mean that Union would need to work in overdrive to provide the funding and resources necessary to function as an institution without government support. The increased price of school could make it difficult for many students to afford such an education provided by Union. The school relies on money from the government as evident by the Union website which states, “Our comprehensive financial aid program includes more than $80 million in aid from Union’s own resources and from federal, state, institutional and other agencies.” Thus, it is clear that Union heavily relies on resources from federal and state agencies and would potentially lose millions of dollars in aid from a government shutdown. The lack of funding and resources would simply mean that Union would be unable to provide an equitable and equal education that catered to all financial needs. The reality of a shutdown would also potentially cut resources in education, and limit the pay of employers as well as hinder the college’s overall reputation. This is why it is apparent that the government shutdown is avoided at all costs to ensure that Union can continue to provide a high quality and immersive education. The government shutdown has been avoided for now, but danger still looms in the future, and the risk of damage to Union is not off the table.