Political tug-of-war and pediatric residency funding.

O October 1, 2013, without a continuing resolution in place to support its budget, the U.S. federal government partially closed. One of many effects of the government shutdown was the defunding of the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Payment Program. Fiftyfive freestanding children’s hospitals currently receive CHGME funds. These hospitals train almost 30% of the general pediatricians, 44% of the pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists, and the majority of the pediatric physicianresearchers in the United States.1,2 Capable of providing highly specialized care for pediatric patients with complex and acute conditions, freestanding children’s hospitals are at the apex of many pediatric referral networks.3 The sudden lapse in