Stephanie Sanic-Costro

About four million people work for companies that contract with the federal government.

Stephanie Sanic-Costro of the Professional Services Council says not all are furloughed, but many are feeling the strain.

Castro says the hardest-hit sectors are civilian agencies like Health and Human Services.

where projects are stalled and small firms are burning through savings.

Economists say losses from the shutdown in 2019 topped $3 billion.

Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.