WASHINGTON (September 29, 2025)--The president is expected to meet with the four top congressional leaders on Monday afternoon at the White House, ahead of a Wednesday deadline to avert a government shutdown. The stakes are high for both parties, with Democrats seeking an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies and the reversal of cuts that Republicans made to Medicaid and other health programs as part of any temporary funding bill.
Experts at the George Washington University are available for expertise and perspective on the looming shutdown and its potential impact. To speak with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations at gwmedia
gwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Politics
Peter Loge is is an associate professor at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Professor Loge has over 30 years of experience in politics and communications. He currently leads the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at the School of Media and Public Affairs.
On the shutdown, Loge says the president’s approach “fits his approach to real estate development.”
“He extracts as much as he can out of a deal while causing his opponents as much pain as possible. In this case that pain is directed at people who disagree with him,” Loge says. “That includes cutting funds to areas with Democratic elected officials, seeking indictments against political opponents, going after comedians, and so on. The downside of this approach is that the US is not a casino development and political opponents are not rival developers to be driven out of business."
Todd Belt is a professor at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. His research and writing focuses on the mass media, public opinion, the presidency, campaigns and elections.
Healthcare
Alison Barkoff, is the Harold and Jane Hirsh Associate Professor of Health Law and Policy at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is an expert in health law and policy and can discuss access to healthcare, insurance and other issues.
Sara Rosenbaum, a professor emerita of health law and policy at GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, is a nationally recognized expert on Medicaid, health care access as well as health care for vulnerable populations.
Leighton Ku, a professor of health policy and management and Director of the Center for Health Policy Research at the George Washington University, Is an expert on the Affordable Care Act, access to healthcare and Medicaid. In a report with the Commonwealth Fund, Ku recently did research showing that national Medicaid work requirements could threaten up to half a million jobs and harm state economies.
Law
Alan B. Morrison is the Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service at GW Law, where he teaches civil procedure and constitutional law. Morrison worked for the Public Citizen Litigation Group where his work involved law reform litigation in various areas including open government, opening up the legal profession, suing agencies that fail to comply with the law, enforcing principles of separation of powers, protecting the rights of consumers, and protecting unrepresented class members in class action settlements.
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