LANSING, Mich. — Michigan residents are expressing relief and concern as the longest government shutdown in American history comes to an end, with hopes that lawmakers can prevent future disruptions.
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Manny Lantine said people need to get paid for their work and emphasized that workers cannot be expected to work without compensation.
The shutdown's impact extended beyond federal employees to everyday citizens like Dawson White, whom I met at the airport while he waited for a bus to take him home to Southside Lansing.
White shared the struggles he faced during recent financial difficulties.
"I donate plasma so I was using that money to get food," White said.
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White recently secured a new job and received full SNAP benefits on Wednesday. However, he remains cautious about potential future shutdowns.
"I'm going to have to save a little because I don't know if this is going to be permanent or if they're going to keep playing this cat and mouse game," White said.
The shutdown's broader implications concern many residents who depend on government services.
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"There are a lot of people in jeopardy that rely on many government benefits," White said.
In downtown Lansing, I spoke with Republican State Senator Jon Bumstead of Muskegon about whether the deal reached justified the extended shutdown period.
"I don't think its ever worth it for anybody when you have a shutdown of that length. It's just time to get back to business which benefits all residents," Bumstead said.
White expressed hope that federal lawmakers will find ways to avoid repeating this historic disruption.
"Hopefully everyone in the House, Senate, Congress figure out a way that we can move on and don't have to do a repeat cycle of this," White said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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