1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express both my appreciation and my deep concern regarding the current government shutdown. First, I want to commend Democrats for taking a strong stand in the face of political gamesmanship. It is clear that you are fighting for values and protections that matter deeply to the American people, and I support you in that effort. At the same time, it is unacceptable that government workers, the military, and congressional staffers are being forced into the position of political pawns. Hundreds of thousands of people are facing missed paychecks and uncertainty through no fault of their own. These are the people who keep our country running — their livelihoods should never be collateral damage in partisan battles. I strongly urge you and your colleagues to immediately introduce and pass a bill ensuring pay protections for these workers during a shutdown, and to establish safeguards to prevent this from happening again. Political disagreements must never come at the expense of those who serve the public every day. Please continue the good fight, but do not let workers bear the cost of political brinkmanship. I am grateful for your leadership and look forward to seeing you take action that protects both our democracy and the people who sustain it.