Donald Trump

DC Mayor's Letter to Trump: End the Shutdown

"The 702,000 residents of Washington, DC, ... are stepping up to cover federal services during the shutdown"

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday urging him to work with Congress to end the partial government shutdown and saying an indefinite shutdown severely affects the city's residents, businesses and federal contractors.

"During a shutdown, there are no winners and our nation’s federal workers, including the 170,000 federal employees who work in Washington, DC, pay the highest price," Bowser says in the letter.

"Over 70 percent of American workers live paycheck-to-paycheck and this shutdown cripples their stability and severely restricts their access to government services. And, it can be devastating to those who are not guaranteed retroactive pay."

Some 800,000 government workers are affected by the shutdown that began Saturday. Many are on the job but must wait until after the shutdown to be paid again.

Wednesday was the first full business day after several government departments and agencies closed up over the weekend due to the budgetary stalemate between Trump and Congress.

Trump said Tuesday that the shutdown would continue until Democrats agree to wall off the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I can't tell you when the government's going to be open. I can tell you it's not going to be open until we have a wall or fence, whatever they'd like to call it," Trump said, referring to Democrats who staunchly oppose walling off the border.

In the meantime, Bowser said it is D.C.'s residents who are paying for some of the services the federal government typically handles in the city, such as removing trash from federal parks.

"We hope that this key message will resonate during this shutdown: the 702,000 residents of Washington, DC, who pay the highest taxes per capita to the federal treasury, are stepping up to cover federal services during the shutdown, while we are the only citizens within the continental United States without a vote in Congress," Bowser said.

Read Bowser's full letter below:

December 26, 2018

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

Washington, DC 20050

Dear President Trump:

On behalf of the more than 702,000 residents and many businesses in Washington, DC, I urge you to work with Congress to bring an immediate end to the current partial federal government shutdown. Indeed, many DC residents, businesses, including restaurants and hotels, and federal contractors will suffer severe impacts if the shutdown continues indefinitely.

This is the federal government’s third shutdown in less than a year. During a shutdown, there are no winners and our nation’s federal workers, including the 170,000 federal employees who work in Washington, DC, pay the highest price. Public servants take up one of the most important calls to action every day, with hundreds of thousands of men and women working quietly behind the scenes to ensure that our leaders have the resources and information they need to protect and advance our nation’s democracy and residents have access to the services and resources they need. Over 70 percent of American workers live paycheck-to-paycheck and this shutdown cripples their stability and severely restricts their access to government services. And, it can be devastating to those who are not guaranteed retroactive pay.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has worked hard to de-link the operations of the government of Washington, DC from federal shutdowns, which is why we remain fully open. Leadership is about stepping up and we will again step up to cover trash collection and any other needs on federally-owned parks and roads in Washington, DC. While a federal government shutdown causes many disruptions for residents and visitors, our local government continues to work to ensure that the basic needs of our nation’s capital are still being met. Our expenditure for trash removal on federally-owned parks will be $46,000 each week.

We hope that this key message will resonate during this shutdown: the 702,000 residents of Washington, DC, who pay the highest taxes per capita to the federal treasury, are stepping up to cover federal services during the shutdown, while we are the only citizens within the continental United States without a vote in Congress. I respectfully urge you to push Congress to reach a deal to reopen the federal government. However, if this shutdown continues, Washington, DC will remain open for business.

Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser

Mayor, Washington, DC

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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