Congressman Panetta Statement on President Trump’s Address on Continuing the Partial Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) released the following statement after President Donald Trump's address on his decision to continue the partial government shutdown.
"Tonight, President Donald Trump again made it clear how proud he is to put his petulance and politics over legitimate policy and the lives of the American people. His decision to single handedly shut down a significant part of our government in order to fulfill a campaign promise by building an expensive and ineffective wall at our southern border is irresponsible, unprincipled, and is actually hurting Americans. Nearly 800,000 federal workers, including 39,000 in California, have been furloughed and may soon not get paychecks. Money for food stamps and federal housing may soon dry up. The ripple effect from this shut down will be felt far and beyond the people who rely on the federal government for employment and benefits, but also will be felt by every day Americans as some basic government services are stopped.
"Despite the President proudly prolonging the partial government shut down, the House of Representatives has passed legislation to reopen our government. Last week, Congress passed two bills to reopen government services, ensure workers get the paychecks they have earned, and restore certainty to the lives of the American people. The bills also included provisions to provide back pay to federal employees. This week, Congress will vote on and pass legislation that will reopen the United States Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service, so that our neighbor's tax refunds arrive on time; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so families do not lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) lifeline and Central Coast farmers get the services and benefits they need; the U.S. Department of the Interior, so that Pinnacles National Park is open and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resume inspections of our drinking water systems, hazardous waste management, and chemical facilities; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to help keep families in their homes.
"I strongly believe in bolstering the security on our borders, not with solutions from the 4th century, but with technology and infrastructure from the 21st century. Moreover, any discussion about border security must be coupled with immigration reform that takes into account the option for our Dreamers, farmworkers, and recipients of Temporary Protected Status to earn their citizenship. However, such serious discussions take time, especially if done in a bipartisan manner. That is why we cannot prolong this shut down and we must open up the government immediately, get paychecks in people's pockets, get over our party politics, and get serious about comprehensive immigration reform."