WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The past three government shutdowns have cost taxpayers over $4 billion, according to a Senate Committee Report.
The study commissioned by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found that over $3.7 billion was paid as back pay to furloughed federal workers and $338 million in other costs associated with the shutdown like extra administrative work.
Furloughed workers don’t always get back pay when the government shuts down, but they have in the three most recent instances.
The three shutdowns included in the investigation involve the 16-day shutdown in 2013, 3-day shutdown in January 2018 and 35-day shutdown from December 2018 to January 2019. It adds up to 52 total days when the government was at least partially shut down.
There’s also the aspects outside financial.
Investigations of criminals were suspended by all government agencies including the Department of Justice.
Over 60,000 immigration hearings were canceled in the 2018-2019 shutdown alone.
The National Parks and Smithsonian museums were closed to the public during every shutdown.
These costs don’t even include the factors to the U.S. economy. A Congressional Budget Office estimate concluded the shutdown reduced Gross Domestic Product by $11 billion.
Taxpayers won’t have to worry about these costs this time, though. The looming shutdown seemingly has been averted by a congressional deal.