Federal workers question whether shutdown was worth their sacrifice

By FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jessica Sweet spent the federal government shutdown cutting back. To make ends meet, the Social Security claims specialist drank only one coffee a day, skipped meals, cut down on groceries and deferred paying some household bills. She racked up spending on her credit card buying gas to get to work.

FILE – A sign that reads “Closed due to federal government shutdown,” is seen outside of the National Gallery of Art on the 6th day of the government shutdown, in Washington, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

With the longest shutdown ever coming to a close , Sweet and hundreds of thousands of other federal workers who missed paychecks will soon get some relief. But many are left feeling that their livelihoods served as p