Rep. Fleischmann on Government Shutdown's Impact on Credibility and the Future of Nuclear Energy

Impact of the Government Shutdown

• 📌 The ongoing government shutdown has significantly hurt the credibility of Congress and the American people.
• 💡 Federal workers, including air traffic controllers and TSA staff, are working under difficult circumstances without pay, while their representatives have taken steps to suspend their own pay.
• ⚠️ The shutdown is described as a "farce" and a "Schumer shutdown" for political purposes, which has harmed the American people, economy, and republic.

Economic Consequences of the Shutdown

• 📊 The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown has already cost the US economy at least $18 billion, with potential for further intensification.
• 📉 GDP is projected to be at least one percentage point lower in the fourth quarter, with estimates of $7 billion to $14 billion in unrecoverable economic impact.
• 🗓️ Projections indicate a 1.5 percentage point reduction in GDP if the shutdown reaches six weeks and a 2 percentage point reduction if it extends to eight weeks.

The Path Forward for Government Funding

• 🎯 The congressman emphasizes that passing a budget will ultimately require 60 votes in the Senate and bipartisan support in the House.
• 🚫 A year-long continuing resolution (CR) is viewed as a "nightmare" scenario for appropriators, highlighting the need for regular order.
• 🤝 Federal labor unions are beginning to call for a "clean and open CR" to reopen the government.

Energy Dominance and Nuclear Power

• ⚡ The congressman chairs multiple bipartisan energy caucuses focused on making America dominant in energy.
• ⚛️ Nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMRs), advanced reactors, and microreactors, is seen as a crucial part of the solution for clean, uninterruptible power.
• 💡 The nuclear sector is booming, with efforts to restart shuttered plants and bring new capacity online, but reliable fuel sources like highly enriched uranium (HEU) are needed, and dependence on Russia must be addressed.
• ♻️ The reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is identified as a key consideration for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.