Government Shutdown Blamed on Democrats Amid SBA Furloughs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A government shutdown that began early Wednesday has triggered automatic email responses from furloughed employees at the Small Business Administration (SBA), blaming Senate Democrats for blocking a federal funding bill and hindering access to critical resources for small businesses.

The shutdown occurred after lawmakers failed to pass a spending agreement before the end of fiscal year 2025. The House had previously approved a short-term extension aimed at keeping the government operational through November 21. However, Senate leaders could not reach a consensus, leading to the shutdown.

As a result, SBA employees have indicated via automatic out-of-office emails that their inability to work is due to the Democrats’ refusal to support a clean funding bill (H.R. 5371). One message read, “I am out of office for the foreseeable future because Democrats voted to block a clean federal funding bill, leading to a government shutdown that is preventing the SBA from serving America’s 36 million small businesses.”

This situation has reportedly affected hundreds of businesses that rely on the SBA for funding, with estimates suggesting that 320 small businesses may miss out on $170 million in SBA-guaranteed funding every day the shutdown continues.

The SBA, which provides essential business counseling and funding for entrepreneurs, is currently executing a Lapse Plan due to the shutdown. According to the automated responses, many services will remain unavailable until the government reopens.

Fox News Digital obtained an internal email from the SBA’s human resources department, which provided staffers with suggested language for their out-of-office responses. The email included instructions for setting up these automatic replies but emphasized that using the suggested text was optional.

Furthermore, the White House press team also issued a similar automatic response, attributing staff shortages to the government shutdown. Their message noted, “Due to staff shortages resulting from the Democrat Shutdown, the typical 24/7 monitoring of this press inbox may experience delays.”

Former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, who leads the SBA, has echoed these sentiments on the agency’s website, prominently displaying a “Special Announcement” message that aligns with the narratives established in the automatic email responses.

As the standoff continues, the impact on small businesses across the nation raises pressing concerns about the ongoing budget negotiations and the future of federal funding.