Former Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, Margaret Weichert, joins Francis to break down what happens after a government shutdown — and why the hardest days may come once the doors reopen. With federal employees preparing to return to work, Weichert warns that the road back to “normal” is anything but smooth.

Weichert shares lessons learned from the 2019 shutdown, including how critical early coordination between operating functions was in speeding recovery — and why those lessons need to be applied right now. She explains how furloughs ripple through service delivery, from SNAP benefits to IRS operations, and how delayed or missed deadlines can create long-term programmatic strain.

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