Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) today warned fellow Members of Congress and the American people about the threats and effects of a potential government shutdown.
With President Donald J. Trump’s threat of a government shutdown, Congressman Gonzalez has remained staunch in his efforts to oppose funding for a physical barrier on the U.S.-Mexico Border,
“The American people are watching a poorly written reality television show, instead of a functioning, bipartisan Congress with real solutions,” Congressman Gonzalez said. “Enough is enough. Congress needs to get its act together, pass a funding package that keeps the government open, eliminate the risk of putting countless government services in jeopardy, and do so before the American people abandon the faith they place in elected officials.”
Congressman Gonzalez has highlighted potential effects of a government shutdown here:
More Than 420,000 Federal Employees Working Without Pay. Frontline federal employees, including law enforcement and public safety personnel, would begin working without pay three days before Christmas. This includes around 14,000 FBI agents, 54,000 Customs and Border Protection agents, 6,000 Forest Service firefighters – as well as the Secret Service, including President Trump’s detail.
Nearly 400,000 Federal Employees Furloughed Days Before Christmas. In addition to federal employees working without pay, hardworking federal employees at agencies like the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, and NASA will be sent home December 22, depriving the American people of vital services and plunging the workers and their families into uncertainty.
Undermining Public Safety. Training programs for state and local law enforcement will be cancelled. The Department of Justice’s civil litigation efforts against bad actors will stop. Payments to crime victims will be put on hold.
Putting American Diplomats at Risk. A shutdown makes it harder for the State Department to physically protect diplomatic personnel and facilities overseas, while also limiting State’s critical risk assessments that inform advisory warnings for American tourists traveling internationally.
Halting Consumer Protection Efforts. Most staff at the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission will be furloughed. Customer service at the IRS will be suspended. Many services for identity theft victims will cease.
Stopping Small Business Support. The Small Business Administration would shut down its role in the federal contracting process and stop approving loan applications, blocking access to federally-assisted loans for millions of small businesses, making it harder to create jobs and grow the economy.
Slowing Home Mortgage Applications. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) would stop processing loans and mortgage approvals, putting families trying to buy a new home or refinance an FHA-insured mortgage into financial limbo.
Cutting Off Services for Farmers. As producers are beginning to make their plans for next year’s planting season, the Department of Agriculture will be forced to close Farm Service county offices across the country and stop providing assistance to farmers already hit hard by the Trump trade war.
Closing National Parks. All services for visitors to National Park Service sites – such as visitors’ centers, interpretative programs, and restrooms – will be suspended at the height of the holiday season. Law enforcement staffing will be sharply curtailed, so visitors’ safety will be put at risk.
Congressman Gonzalez has a proven record of reaching across the aisle to work on commonsense, bipartisan legislation and policies. The congressman is hopeful that once again, resolve can be found, and the government will stay open.
