The Nation - News from Oct. 28, 1986

A half-day shutdown of the federal government, forced this month when Congress failed to agree on a spending bill, cost taxpayers at least $33 million, a study said. About $28 million of the cost comes from wages that will be paid to 556,000 furloughed employees, said Andrew Feinstein, staff director of the House civil service subcommittee that conducted the study. After reaching agreement on the spending bill, Congress approved a provision to pay the workers for the afternoon they were sent home.