October 17, 2025 - Washington, D.C. — On Thurssday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expressed concern about the impacts of a continued government shutdown on businesses, workers and the broader economy. “The government shutdown is harming small businesses and costing American economic growth that can’t be recovered,” said Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “This shutdown is already one of the longest, and there doesn’t appear to be a quick resolution in sight. The impacts to businesses are beginning to pile up, and impacting both their current and future growth. Businesses need government to function.”  

Last week, the Chamber hosted dozens of small businesses for a Capitol Hill fly-in. Businesses met with lawmakers and their staffs to share their priorities. The Chamber also published new stories from small businesses nationwide who are feeling the shutdown’s effects firsthand:

“We may not feel it right away, but the backlog that is generated by the shutdown will last long beyond when everything is cleared up and there’s no longer a shutdown,” Freeman said. “That means that the existing backlog of labels submitted to the U.S. EPA for approval will be more extensive and take even longer to clear.” - Philip Freeman, CEO Murphy’s Naturals, Raleigh, NC.

“We support entrepreneurs and community leaders through LLC setup, licensing guidance, website development, and scroll-style content creation. The government shutdown has significantly impacted our client flow, delaying new business filings and reducing access to essential resources. As a result, our ability to serve and sustain local entrepreneurs has been disrupted, threatening both short-term operations and long-term community impact.” - James Pierre, owner, JP Vision & Services, LLC. West Palm Beach, FL.

The Chamber is committed to working with policymakers to find a path forward, restore stability, and prevent future shutdowns. On October 2, the Chamber sent a memo to its members outlining the implications of a government shutdown and the outlook for reopening the government. The Chamber also sent a letter to the Senate urging passage of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026. 

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce