Washington D.C. – With just 48 hours remaining until a potential extreme Republican government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) warned that House Republicans are risking serious consequences for Alabama families.
“Alabama families shouldn’t be forced to pay the price for House Republicans’ inability to govern,” said Sewell. “A Republican government shutdown would force troops to work without pay, harm small businesses, risk air travel disruptions, and endanger access to food assistance for families. It is unconscionable that House Republicans would hurt working families, damage our economy, and endanger our national security.”
“I will continue to do everything in my power to keep the government open and protect the programs that Alabamians rely on,” continued Sewell. “It’s time for House Republicans to do their jobs, put American families first, and stop charging towards a government shutdown.”
According to new data released by House Budget Committee Minority, a Republican government shutdown would:
- Force troops to serve without pay: 38,017 active duty and reserve personnel serving our nation’s armed forces in Alabama would be forced to go without the pay they earn during a shutdown.
- Hurt Alabama small businesses: The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides $284,694,700 in funding to small businesses in Alabama every year.
- Disrupt air travel: 4,797 people flying through Alabama airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers.
- Cut off food assistance for Alabama children and families: 111,999 people in Alabama would soon lose access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits. 772,813 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Alabama would lose access to benefits in a prolonged shutdown.
- Hurt federal workers: 46,826 federal workers in Alabama would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.
- Jeopardize food and drug safety: Workers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be sidelined, risking interruptions and delays to the 224 food safety, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other inspections conducted in Alabama last year.
- Hurt rural Alabamians’ ability to secure housing loans: The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans, which provide $545,442,546 in funding to help 3,049 families in rural Alabama communities buy homes every year.
- Hurt Alabama farmers: The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $93,451,000 in funding for farmers in Alabama every year.
- Close National Parks: 1,294,952 people who visit national parks in Alabama every year would be turned away or unable to fully access parks, monuments, and museums.
- Put vulnerable families at risk: State governments would be forced to pay for federal services like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially risking benefits for the 12,888 TANF beneficiaries in Alabama.
Constituents with questions about the impacts of a Republican government shutdown can visit sewell.house.gov/governmentshutdown.
