REAX Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman Of The Senate Appropriations Committee, To President Trump’s Threat To “Shutdown” The Federal Government In September
Threatening to shut down the government, on the heels of a successful, bipartisan agreement, is a sour and shameful note to kick off negotiations for FY 2018. Governing by tweet and manufacturing a crisis before our work even begins is no way to lead.
The 2013 shutdown dealt a devastating blow to economic growth, amounting to an estimated $1.5 billion lost for each of the 16 days of the shutdown. That is economic growth we can never get back. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers were furloughed, through no fault of their own, for a combined total of 6.6 million days. That’s 6.6 million days where lifesaving research ground to a halt, and millions of dollars in revenue was lost as visitors were greeted by shuttered doors and fences at our national parks and monuments.
Just this week, Congress has proven that a bipartisan appropriations process can move forward. I hope the President does not seriously wish to have the consequences of a government shutdown resting squarely on his shoulders.
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