Sanders Statement on How the Government Shutdown is Affecting Vermonters

Statement

"In Vermont, alone, over 1,300 federal workers may be going without a paycheck, thanks to Trump's misguided government shutdown. These include employees who work at the TSA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Customs and Border Patrol, and the Internal Revenue Service. As a result of this shutdown, there is growing concern in Vermont and around the country about how these federal employees are going to pay their mortgages, feed their families and provide for other basic needs without a paycheck.

"Further, if the shutdown continues into February, many low and moderate-income Vermonters will be impacted. Families who depend upon food stamps to put food on the table may not be able to get that help. Security at airports and the length of time needed to go through security could very well be impacted if TSA employees are not getting paid. Farmers and small businesses won't be able to receive the financial assistance they need to survive from the Department of Agriculture or the Small Business Administration. It's time for President Trump to end this shutdown and for Senate Leader McConnell to hold a vote in the Senate to reopen the federal government as soon as possible."

Source