Jan's Plans & Pans - September 27, 2023

Right now, we are only four days away from a government shutdown and Kevin McCarthy and the Republicans continue to put forth extreme legislation that has zero chance of passing the Senate. Republicans would rather shutdown our government than reach a bipartisan agreement. What we are seeing is a total collapse of the proper operations of government on the part of the Republicans.

Let me make this clear, during a government shutdown, entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, continue, but staffing levels at the agencies could be affected and cause delays in enrollment or other service interruptions. Mail service also continues throughout the duration of a shutdown. But unfortunately, several other programs and agencies will be impacted.

If the government shuts down, essential employees, including my staff, even though they continue to work, will not be paid, head-start programs will close, small business loan applications will come to a halt, inspections at the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration will be delayed, nearly seven million mothers and their children could lose access to nutrition assistance, and so much more.

The American people are counting on us to keep the government open. Too much is at stake. This is not a game. Democrats remain committed to keeping critical services up and running and extending government funding. If the government does indeed shutdown, I will provide you with a more in-depth look at how you will be impacted and what resources are available. Please stay tuned for the latest updates.