AFSCME’s Saunders: Congressional extremists must ‘stop using our lives as bargaining chips’ and keep the government open
AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement as Congressional extremists threaten a government shutdown:
“Despite shaking hands on a bipartisan budget agreement just a few months ago, anti-worker politicians in Congress are now going back on their word. They are demanding drastic cuts to the essential programs millions of families need to survive – food, housing, education and more. And to get their way, they are using the threat of a government shutdown, which would jeopardize the livelihood of front-line federal employees as well as their families, while pausing lifesaving programs for millions of people nationwide. All this to appease their corporate mega-donors, who care about little else besides receiving massive tax cuts.“Extremists in Congress need to stop using our lives as bargaining chips. It’s time for them to follow through on the promises they have already made to keep the government open.”