Gov Larry Hogan Urges President Trump to End the Government Shutdown

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has joined with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Washington, DC Mayor Murial Bowser to call for an end to the federal government shutdown.  In a letter to President Donald Trump and Congressional leaders they say the shutdown, which has ended its second week, represents a failure of leadership and they asking for Congress and the Trump Administration to seek bipartisan solutions.

READ THE LETTER BELOW: 

President Trump, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

As the chief executives of the State of Maryland, Commonwealth of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, we urge you to find a compromise to end the partial government shutdown. The national capital region is home to well over 360,000 federal workers, many of whom are employed by the departments and agencies affected by this lapse in appropriations. These federal employees have been furloughed or forced to work without pay, not knowing when they will get their next paychecks. The large number of government contractors who also work and reside in our jurisdictions, and who are not guaranteed back pay when the shutdown comes to a conclusion, are harshly impacted.

As our federal employees and contractors experience a sudden loss of income, this not only causes financial hardship for individuals and families, but also deals a significant blow to our region’s economy. Hard-working federal employees and those who depend on them should not have to suffer because of this partisan standoff.

A prolonged shutdown not only hurts our local economies and budgets, but also poses a threat to our natural resources, public health, and safety. In particular, the nation’s coasts and waterways are at risk with reduced Coast Guard capabilities and a closed Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, due to the reduced presence of federal park employees and security, our national parks are overflowing with trash and visitor safety is compromised. While actions have been taken by local governments to continue these services at some of the national parks, this public safety risk will only increase.

With 9 out of 15 federal departments and dozens of agencies shuttered, similar disruptions and delays are occurring across the federal government. The longer this shutdown lasts, impacts will be more compounded on state and local budgets, important government services, and the economy at large. Containing the damage starts with reopening the government as soon as possible.

Imposing this unnecessary hardship on federal employees is unacceptable and represents a failure of leadership. We urge you to fully consider the impact that a shutdown has on the national capital region and the country. We ask that you reach across the aisle to find a path forward and end this stalemate today so the federal employees in our region and across the country can get back to work.