Day 17 of the Democrat Shutdown: Utahns Pay the Price While Democrats in Washington Play Politics

Today marks Day 17 of the Democrat Shutdown.

Yesterday, Senate Democrats voted for the tenth time to keep the government closed.

While Chuck Schumer says “every day gets better for us,” every day gets worse for Americans.

The consequences of this shutdown are hitting every corner of the country and Democrats are doing it all to force through a $1.5 trillion partisan wish list that includes:

While Democrats hold government funding hostage, millions of Americans are going without pay or essential services:

• 1.3 million active-duty service members were at risk of missing a paycheck, but thanks to President Trump, they were paid this month, a temporary fix as this shutdown drags on. 
• 13,000+ air traffic controllers and 61,000 TSA agents are working unpaid, causing nationwide flight delays and travel disruptions
• Nearly 50,000 Coast Guard members are unpaid
• 150,000+ federal law enforcement officers, including Border Patrol and ICE, are serving without pay
• Federal firefighters, FBI agents, and Capitol Police officers are impacted
• Telehealth for seniors and in-home Medicare treatment has been halted
• Flood insurance is paused (during hurricane season)
• USDA disaster assistance payments are no longer being processed
• Veterans are losing access to career counseling, GI Bill support, regional benefits offices, and burial programs
• Small business loans and federal contracts are delayed or frozen, stalling projects and draining $60 million per month for Utah small businesses
• Economists estimate that each week the shutdown continues, Utah’s GDP declines by $157 million, roughly $640 million per month. More than 40,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay, and 177,000 Utahns enrolled in SNAP, including 69,000 children, face disruptions after 30 days. Consumer spending is projected to fall by $383 million each month theshutdown drags on.

Democrats Supported Clean CRs … Until Now

I voted to keep the government open. Republicans have proposed, and the House has passed, a clean, short-term funding extension through November 21. 

Just six months ago, Democrats voted for a clean CR to avoid a shutdown. In fact, over the last four years, under unified Democrat control, 13 clean funding extensions passed Congress without controversy.

Now, when it’s time to fund the government again, Democrats are the ones shutting it down and hurting the very federal workers and communities they claim to protect.

Meanwhile, Under President Trump …

• Brokered a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas, ending years of violence and securing the release of hostages
• Illegal crossings along the U.S. – Mexico border plummeted to lowest annual level since 1970
• Violent crime in Washington, D.C. is down nearly 30%
• Homicides down 25%
• Robberies down 39%
• Assaults down 14%
• Gas prices are falling nationwide amid record oil production, nearing thelowest levels in four years
• America’s manufacturing sector continues to surge with billions of dollars in new investments announced this week, creating high-quality American jobs.

My Team Will Continue Working for You

If you or your family are affected by the shutdown, need help with a government agency, or have specific questions about how the shutdown affects your family, business, or community, please reach out to my team at 801-999-9801 or visit Owens.House.Gov/Shutdown for resources.

While some agencies are operating with limited staff, my offices are open, and our caseworkers are standing by to assist you with Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, passports, and other federal issues.

• Flag requests and Capitol tours are temporarily suspended.
• The Smithsonian Institution has announced that its museums will remain open through Saturday, October 11, using prior-year funding.
• If your travel plans to Washington are affected, please contact our office and we will help you reschedule.

If you need help navigating a federal agency, call 801-999-9801 or submit a casework request here. If you’d like to attend one of my team’s upcoming Mobile Offices, the full schedule is available here.