Rep. Huffman Statement on President Trump’s Government Sh*tdown
Washington, D.C.- Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) issued the following statement after the United States Congress failed to pass a bill to fund the government, resulting in a shutdown of the federal government:
“Today, I am disgusted and dismayed that Republican congressional 'leaders' and President Trump have brought us to a government shutdown -- the very outcome President Trump said he wanted a few months ago. In our country's long history, this has never happened when one party controlled both branches of Congress and the Presidency. But we've never before seen the toxic combination of a dysfunctional, incompetent majority in Congress, and a President that is completely uninformed, unprincipled, and uninterested in the hard work of governing.
“President Trump is wrong in claiming we need a ‘good shutdown.’ There is no such thing. While the impacts of this lapse in funding are hard to quantify at this point, they will certainly not be ‘good.’ Not only will it directly impact federal employees, it will harm millions of people who depend on government services, families who want to visit National Parks, small business owners seeking SBA assistance, homebuyers applying for FHA or VA loans, food producers working with the FDA, and more.
“When Republicans shutdown government in 2013 as part of their obsession with repealing the Affordable Care Act, it cost our economy billions of dollars. Now they are stubbornly taking us down the same path because of their hardline anti-immigrant agenda and their unwillingness to work with Democrats on a compromise.
“Despite controlling every branch of government, Republicans have been unable to do the most basic part of their job: pass legislation that funds the government. We have already had three short-term "continuing resolutions" in this fiscal year, and now they are seeking a fourth CR. This chaos and uncertainty is hurting our country -- undermining our national security, frustrating those who are trying to build infrastructure projects, and leaving states and local health clinics in limbo as to how they are going to provide healthcare to millions of vulnerable children, among other things.
“Enough is enough. Governing by chaos, crisis, insults and hyperpartisan posturing doesn't work. And no country ever became great by operating under endless short-term government funding deals.
“There is a bipartisan path forward here. A majority of both houses in Congress would support a compromise that funds defense and non-defense programs for the rest of the year, protects the Dreamers while enhancing border security, funds children's health insurance and community clinics, provides critical disaster relief for communities reeling from the recent wildfires and hurricanes, and helps fight the opioid epidemic. Let's bring this bipartisan solution to the floor and vote, instead of continuing the reckless partisanship that has brought us another shameful government shutdown.
“I won't be flying off to Mar-a-Lago for a swanky black tie fundraiser tonight, or jetting off to Davos while our government shuts down. I'm going to stay ready to work, and I call on Republican leaders in Congress to stay in Washington, start working with Democrats, and do their jobs.”
A factsheet on the effects of the government shutdown may be found HERE:
###
Next Article Previous Article