The government shutdown has cost American taxpayers $400 million a day, and $1.6 billion in total as of Monday, according to data published by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who requested a cost breakdown from the CBO, posted on X Monday, "It is day six of the Schumer Shutdown. For the fourth straight 'work' day, taxpayers will foot the $400 million bill to pay 750,000 'non-essential' bureaucrats to sit at home and NOT WORK. Bringing the total cost of Democrats' shenanigans to $1.6 billion."
It is day six of the Schumer Shutdown.
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) October 6, 2025
For the fourth straight “work” day, taxpayers will foot the $400 million bill to pay 750,000 "non-essential" bureaucrats to sit at home and NOT WORK.
Bringing the total cost of Democrats' shenanigans to $1.6 billion. pic.twitter.com/BWGz19ydGb
On Friday, she told Fox News Digital, "Schumer’s Shutdown Shenanigans mean taxpayers will be on the hook for another $400 million today to pay 750,000 non-essential bureaucrats NOT to work."
"Democrats’ political stunt to fight for taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants has officially become a billion-dollar boondoggle," she continued. "Enough has to be enough for the radical left. We must reopen the government and get Washington back to work serving veterans, families and hardworking Americans."
A law passed in 2019 requires that government employees temporarily out of work due to the government shutdown receive backpay after Congress reaches an agreement and the funding bill passes.
Senator Ernst requested the breakdown of costs from the CBO during the first week of the shutdown.
In the shared breakdown, the CBO states that "Using information from the agencies’ contingency plans and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), CBO estimates that under a lapse in discretionary funding for fiscal year 2026 about 750,000 employees could be furloughed each day; the total daily cost of their compensation would be roughly $400 million."
The CBO's statistics were gathered during a government shutdown from December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, during the first Trump administration.
The exact costs to taxpayers may vary, as some government agencies may furlough employees for longer or shorter periods, depending on the length of the shutdown.
While Americans are on the hook for $1.6 billion and counting in wasted money, members of Congress continue to collect their paychecks, one of many government officials still getting paid for not doing their jobs.