Today my daughter turned in a project for her AP Government and Politics class. As she washed dishes, she informed me that if Congress does not agree on spending by the 15th, the government could shut down, again. Apparently, one of the articles that she used for her assignment listed seven items that Congress needs to address by month’s end.

I said that I recalled that the previous measure was only a temporary fix. And the word is, another shut down is unlikely. She was quiet.

“Could another shut down could impact receiving money for college? I mean, if it lasted longer this time?”

I nodded. A decision on federal spending or lack thereof impacts everything.

“The private scholarships that you applied for would be safe as long as the organization or entity itself did not receive federal funding. If it did and relied upon it, it could cut or reduce what amount awarded…unless it is an endowment of some kind…”

Silence. “So the FAFSA that you just completed…”

“This is why people were so upset. Inability to make certain decisions doesn’t just impact federal employees.”

Gotta love it when a real-life lesson is received.