Congress needs to fund the government! No shutdown!

As your constituent, I am urging you to do everything possible to avert a government shutdown in November, while maintaining critical funding for programs and services we all need, and that are especially vital for low-income people and families. It’s unconscionable that a small, extremist faction is holding up important legislative work while pushing steep cuts to human needs programs. They’re also prioritizing policies that harm immigrants and their families―instead, we need a humane approach at our southern border and a real solution to our broken immigration system. A shutdown would harm our nation’s overall economy, the financial security of individuals and families, government efficiency, and the public’s access to needed services by delaying or interrupting services to millions―whether food and preschool for children and families, public health services during flu season, air safety and travel needs, or protecting our communities’ safety. It would disrupt the jobs of over a million federal workers and make it harder for people to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, and stay safe and healthy. The shutdown would affect employees of federal contractors even more acutely—unlike workers directly employed by the federal government, they do not receive back pay. Their ranks include security guards, carpenters, electricians, cafeteria workers, cleaning crews, and more. Overall, a shutdown would make vulnerable communities, including people of color, more at risk and result in their disproportionate harm. What we need is responsible bipartisan funding bills that reject cuts to needed services. It’s time to reject the harmful demands of extremists. I am urging you to do everything in your power to avert a government shutdown and to fund services without cuts before the continuing resolution expires on November 17th. Thanks.