PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The U.S. is now in the midst of the second-longest government shutdown in the country’s history.
Three weeks into the shutdown, the Senate has voted 11 times on funding measures which would reopen the government. However, they have failed to pass each time.
Now, assistance programs are facing delays as the end of the month approaches. According to Newport News Human Services, the USDA has notified Virginia that November SNAP benefits cannot be issued due to a nationwide pause.
“We haven’t got a budget passed right now,” said Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Dist. 2). “We’re operating under a continuing resolution from last year. I need the federal government open, if we care about these programs and we care about people actually being able to use these programs. That’s how we restore funding to all government programs, to all benefits, to all veteran benefits. We know that there’s starting to be an impact from help lines not being answered to offices being closed or partially staffed. I’m starting to hear that more and more from my constituents.”
Additionally, lawmakers are looking for solutions to ensure that military personnel continue to be paid as the shutdown continues. This comes after President Trump authorized the use of congressional funds for military personnel paychecks in the first half of October.
“We are thankful that President Trump, the administration, was able to find a way to pay them on the 15th,” Kiggans said. “But we have another pay period right around the corner on the first, so I want to make sure that they know they’ll get paid on that date, too, because so many of them live paycheck to paycheck and we would have those funding discussions. We’re happy to have any discussion on any other issue, but we have to open the government. We have to get back to regular order in Congress.”
Kiggans said she wants to make sure federal workers in Hampton Roads are paid what they’re owed and called on the Senate to pass the continuing resolution that would do so.
“I have a lot of federal workers here as well,” Kiggans said. “I have Etsy workers. I have federal shipyard workers, federal law enforcement, federal fire department. We have a lot of federal workers here, people that work closely with the military. I want to make sure those people get a paycheck in. The most sure way to do that is to pass that continuing resolution in the Senate. The Senate Democrats need to open the government.”
Several Senate Democrats have crossed over to support the house bill that would re-open the government. Five more would need to cross over to reach the 60 votes needed to then send the bill to President Trump to sign.
