U.S. Shutdown Is Hurting D.C. Businesses

The ongoing US government shutdown is threatening businesses in the nation's capital. Reuters reports more than 20 million tourists typically visit Washington, DC each year. Businesses like hotels and restaurants depend on federal monuments and museums to bring in tourists. On Wednesday, the government shutdown was in its 26th day, as President Donald Trump continues to wait for Democrats to agree to the $5.7 billion he has requested to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. All 17 Smithsonian museums and the White House are closed to tourists. The local restaurant community has suffered an average 20 percent drop in sales over the course of the shutdown.