Federal Government Shutdown Looms Due to Lawmakers Buckling to Multi-Billionaire’s Whims
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC – The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) issued the following statement regarding the growing likelihood of a government shutdown, which would start when the current federal funding expires at 12:01 am, Saturday, December 21.
IFPTE President Matthew Biggs and IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson issued the following statement:
“Less than a day after Congressional leadership unveiled a bipartisan three-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government, a group of Republican lawmakers have complied with the demands of the unelected and ultrawealthy who are advising the incoming administration and blocked the government funding bill.
These billionaire advisors continue to demonstrate they have no insight or understanding of what public service and governance entail nor the basics of how Congress requires bipartisanship to advance must-pass legislation—but it appears that they have scores of Members of Congress willing to do their bidding.
Because of these lawmakers, Congress is now two days away from allowing a costly government shutdown that could deny Americans government services, lockout federal employees from their jobs, and delay paychecks to military service members. Even a brief government shutdown costs money, wastes resources, and needlessly risks the safety and well-being of Americans.
Previous shutdowns and shutdown threats have made clear that corrosive bad-faith partisanship has resulted in a dysfunctional Congress that cannot perform its fundamental job of governing. However, today’s developments have taken the absurdity of government shutdown brinksmanship to a new low.
Congress still has time to pass the agreed-to bipartisan continuing resolution. We urge Members of Congress who are blocking the continuing resolution to reconsider and do their jobs, not merely obey billionaires.”
###