Senate Democrats can end the shutdown

By U.S. Sen. Jon Husted
R-Ohio

Note: As we enter the fourth week of the government shutdown, Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) provided another update for Ohioans and calls on his colleagues to consider the federal workers who are serving them daily without getting paid. 

Today is my 12th vote on a clean, bipartisan funding bill to reopen the government. There's no policy in it. No spending changes. No gimmicks. Just a clean CR to keep the government open so that we can pay people, we can serve people, and we can progress with all of the other conversations that my colleagues want to have.

While Senate Democrats have voted to keep the government closed, I want all members of Congress to reflect on their trip to the nation’s capital as they come to their job every week.

You travel to Washington, when you go past the TSA workers, look them in the eye and explain to them why you're not going to pay them, even though they're going to work.

When you take off, remember those air traffic controllers that are making sure that the planes that we all ride in are traveling safe throughout the skies.

When you arrive at the Capitol and see all those Capitol police officers who have families, and they're not receiving a paycheck while they're protecting you at the nation’s capital.

I want you to digest all of that. Think about the fact that your stubbornness, your unwillingness to just keep the government open and talk about how we are going to govern America for the future. Your stubbornness is causing real suffering for many people who literally serve you every day.

When you get to the office, I hope you'll reflect on that. And the next time that you vote, I hope you will join us in voting YES to reopen the government and serving the American people.

I want you to know that that's why, in part, I'm withholding my paycheck. I think if we don't pay the federal workers who are out there serving us every day, that members of Congress should not receive pay. So, I've had my paycheck held, and I'm not going to get paid until the government gets opened again.

I also am going to support the Shutdown Fairness Act, which will help make sure that all employees are coming to work every day, including the men and women of our military are getting paid. I hope we can get some Democrat votes for that. Although, they have said publicly that they plan to vote against it.

I'm working every day to make sure that we continue to serve all the people of the state of Ohio through our office. Our offices are open. We're ready to serve you, all Ohioans and the American people and anything that you need, you can still feel free to contact our office, and we'll try to help you navigate anything that you need to during the shutdown.

I know many people are not affected directly in their daily lives, but all of us are affected when the government shuts down and doesn't use your tax dollars to serve the American people with the services that you've come to expect. So, please know we'll try to help. If you have anything, please call our office.

Thank you for reading, and God bless you. And may God bless America during this difficult time.