Shutdown furloughs will permanently cost the economy at least $7 billion, CBO says

World Central Kitchen distributed free meals prepared by local restaurants to federal employees affected by the government shutdown on Oct. 27, 2025. Alex Wong / Getty Images

Forcing a large swath of the federal workforce not to work for going on a full month is having significant and lasting impacts on the economy, according to a non-partisan legislative branch review, causing a loss of at least $7 billion dollars from the gross domestic product. 

That figure would grow to $11 billion if the shutdown lasts another two weeks or $14 billion if it were to last until Nov. 26, the Congressional Budget Office found in a report on Wednesday. Unlike many other economic impacts of the shutdown, CBO noted the losses accrued from employees not conducting their normal work cannot be recovered. 

“In CBO’s assessment, the shutdown will delay federal spending and have a negative effect on the economy that ...