Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) called on the House majority to back off on their program of social warfare which is prolonging debate over a long-term spending bill to keep the federal government running.  Due to these social so-called “riders” to the funding bill, the federal government stands on the brink of a shutdown, something completely unacceptable. 

“It seems that every time the Republicans are in control we go through these government shutdowns.  When the Democrats were in charge and had budget disputes with President Bush, we worked out a deal because of the greater good.  The American people elected us to come to Washington and govern, not to dig in our heels and refuse to work together.  They expect more of us.  Democrats have come to the middle, and beyond, to get a deal while the Republicans keep changing their demands.  That is no way to run a government.

“In 1995 and 1996, the last time we encountered government shutdowns, unemployment was at 5.5%, not 8.8%.  Our economy was in the middle of great prosperity.  Today, we are nursing along a recovery from a devastating recession which was careening into depression.  We survived that by making some hard choices, and to insist on cutting spending by an arbitrary amount is ridiculous, especially when Republicans say such cutting is necessary to rejuvenate the economy.  Unfortunately, they fail to substantiate their claim that cutting spending by a certain amount will lead to economic prosperity. 

“However, we also cannot simply step aside and let the ideologues in the Republican caucus run wild over the federal budget.  They have to remember that they are but one part of the government – and that for a successful spending bill to be passed now or in the future, we must to come together.  They cannot have it one way.

“I am committed to responsibly reducing the deficit and keeping the government open, but Republicans are also pushing an ideological social agenda that is threatening a government shutdown.   We cannot let those in the Republican caucus, on a crusade to restrict women’s health service and destroy our clean air and clean water, stand in the way of a compromise.   A government shutdown is not in anyone’s best interest, not our country, not our families, and certainly not our economy.  Democrats are focused America’s number one priority: creating jobs.  Republicans should join us in achieving this goal.”

Shutting down the government has real consequences for America’s workers, businesses, and communities.  In addition to the 800,000 federal public servants left without a paycheck to support their families, and millions would be without access to critical services, including business owners, farmers, and veterans.

Overall, independent analysts have estimated that any shutdown will badly impact our economy, and one lasting more than a few days could severely undermine our ability to extend our recovery and put people back to work.

In addition, the liberal Center for American Progress issued a report outlining critical services delayed, interrupted, or shut down if the government shuts down, including veterans’ benefits and health services.  Americans will lose a number of critical services as Social Security applications go unprocessed, veterans lose new access to healthcare and financial services, and military pay is put on hold.  Health services, including disease surveillance, disease hotlines, and cleanup work at toxic waste sites, would pause.  Passport applications would go unprocessed; national parks and museums would close; and the estimated cost of a shutdown is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

“With so much at stake, Congress must get back to work creating jobs, strengthening the middle class, and responsibly reducing the deficit,” said Rep. Engel.

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