Shutting Down The Government Creates Chaos And Uncertainty In My Community

Randi Lone Eagle, Chairwoman, Summit Lake Paiute Tribe
October 22, 2025

Photo: the author Randi Lone Eagle Chairwoman of Summit Lake Paiute Tribe

We all know that government shutdowns are disruptive for Americans – from the furlough of millions of workers to travel delays to disruptions in critical government services. I know that for my community, the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, this shutdown has been painful.

I am grateful for the leadership of Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who voted to keep the government open and tried to avoid a costly shutdown. She is continuing to reach across the aisle to find a solution that ends the shutdown and protects Americans’ health care.

Shutting down the government is a violation of the decades-old obligation that the federal government has to Tribes, the federal Indian trust responsibility. The U.S. government has a commitment to protect tribal treaty rights, lands, assets, and resources, a requirement it cannot fully fulfill during a shutdown.

That’s more than just legal semantics. While Washington remains at a standstill, the impacts of a shutdown are being felt throughout my community. Tribal staff are currently working without pay. Missing paychecks while costs are already so high creates instability and uncertainty for these members of our community.

There’s also chaos for people who aren’t federal employees. Bureau of Indian Affairs staff are unpaid, threatening public safety if employees choose not to work without a paycheck. Funds for WIC and SNAP are at risk, jeopardizing food security for our most vulnerable neighbors.

At this time of enormous uncertainty for Tribal members, I urge leaders in Washington to follow Senator Cortez Masto’s lead and work to reopen the government, lower costs, and stand up for all of us.

Randi Lone Eagle is the Tribal Chairwoman for the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe in Nevada.