1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you and your colleagues in Congress to stop playing political games with the federal budget and do everything necessary to prevent another government shutdown this year. Federal employees, their families, and the American public cannot continue to be used as bargaining chips in political disputes. Another shutdown would create unnecessary financial uncertainty for workers, disrupt critical government services, and hurt millions of Americans who depend on the federal government to function. Congress has one of its most basic responsibilities: fund the government. That responsibility should not be pushed to the last minute or turned into a political standoff. Federal employees should not have to spend months wondering whether they will receive their next paycheck because elected officials cannot reach an agreement. We have already seen the damage and anxiety that shutdown threats create. We cannot go through this again. I am asking you to work across the aisle, reject attempts to use a government shutdown as political leverage, and support a responsible, timely budget that keeps the government open and functioning. Please make it clear to your colleagues and your constituents that you will not support political games that put federal workers and the American public at risk. The people you represent expect Congress to govern responsibly and do its job. I urge you to make preventing a government shutdown a priority and to support full, stable funding for the federal agencies that serve the American people.