Madison Mayor Paul Soglin addressed the impact of the federal government shutdown on city residents and University of Wisconsin-Madison students at a press conference Wednesday.
“As of this week, we do not have any critical services that are compromised,” Soglin said.
However, Congress remains at a standstill disagreement as the shutdown plows through its second week, and Soglin said although local effects have been minimal so far, the shutdown could have more significant consequences on the Madison community if it continues.
“What’s going on right now is really unheard of,” Soglin said. “We have to start preparing as best we can for difficulties.”
Although Soglin did not offer specific figures, he said the immediate lack of federal funding for research grants in the event of a prolonged idle Congress will force UW-Madison students to compromise their scientific work that has been months or even years in the making.
In addition, the future of the Women, Infants and Children program, a food supplementary organization for many Madison residents, also faces deeper budget cuts if Congress does not find a resolution in the immediate future, Soglin said.
Soglin added he has little patience for those that triggered the shutdown.
“Whether they intended or not, the perpetrators of this are having the effect of terrorists in their greatest hope of shutting down the United States government,” Soglin said.
