South Florida Democratic Delegation Calls on Senators, President to End Shutdown

The delegation is made up of Reps. Hastings (FL-20), Frankel (FL-21), Deutch (FL-22), Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Wilson (FL-24), Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), and Shalala (FL-27).

(Washington) Twenty-seven days into President Trump’s partial government shutdown, House Democrats have voted eight times to reopen the federal government and resume paying federal workers.

With 800,000 federal workers out of work or working without pay for nearly a month, including over 13,000 Floridians, the government shutdown is costly to American taxpayers and is beginning to impact our national economy. In addition, with Coast Guard servicemembers and Homeland Security officers working without pay, the shutdown creates a threat to our national security.

The South Florida Democratic Congressional delegation calls on Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Rick Scott to end this government shutdown, vote for the House-passed spending bills, and let 800,000 federal workers go back to work with pay. House Democrats are prepared to work with Senate Republicans and President Trump on funding effective border security proposals, but not while holding the government hostage.

House Democrats support robust border security solutions, including:
• New drug, weapons & contraband scanning technology at official ports of entry;
• Advanced technology to detect unauthorized crossings;
• More customs personnel;
• Expanded port of entry infrastructure.

Since the first day of the 116th Congress, House Democrats have voted on eight bills to fund the government:

Jan. 3 – House Democrats passed a package of six appropriations bills that have all previously passed the Senate. Jan. 3 – House Democrats passed a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security through February 8, 2019. Jan. 9 – House Democrats passed a funding bill to reopen the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service and provide employees with back pay. Jan. 10 – House Democrats passed a funding bill to reopen the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration and provide employees with back pay. Jan. 10 – House Democrats passed a funding bill to reopen the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development and provide employees with back pay. Jan. 11 – House Democrats passed a funding bill to reopen the Environmental Protection Agency, national parks, and museums and provide employees with back pay. Jan. 15 – House Democrats voted on a short-term funding bill to reopen closed federal agencies through February 28. Jan. 16 – House Democrats passed legislation that included disaster relief funding and a continuing resolution to fund the government through February 8.