AIA President Mickey Jacob, FAIA, today issued the following statement on the partial federal government shutdown that began early this morning.

“The AIA is a non-partisan professional association; we work with members of both political parties. And like most Americans, AIA members are extremely disillusioned with the current state of affairs in the nation’s capital.

“The design and construction industry is slowly recovering from one of the worst economic crises in modern history. The last thing we need is the self-inflicted wound that can potentially further damage the economy.

“We urge both political parties to set aside political divisions and put the “common good” of the American public first. That phrase is an anachronism in today’s political vernacular, but lawmakers ought to commit it to memory in coming weeks as the fight over the budget commences and the deadline to address the debt ceiling arrives.

“We urge the public to ask their Congressional to refocus their debate to responsibly and immediately address the federal budget. Above all, we urge the public not to become politically disengaged. That, in part, is why the AIA has posted a comprehensive set of FAQs on our website as a way to measure the impact of the shut-down and to provide AIA members with an opportunity to make sure their voice is heard.”