A completely avoidable disaster

By U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer
R-Nebraska

Another shutdown has hit Washington, and Nebraskans are right to shake their heads. Why can’t Congress just keep the lights on? Why should families, farmers, and veterans in Nebraska and across the U.S. pay the price for dysfunction in D.C.?

I voted multiple times for a simple, clean funding resolution to keep the government open. No new policies or partisan provisions. Just an extension of current funding levels so we could finish working on the full-year budget. That’s the responsible path.

But Democrats rejected that approach. Instead, they demanded $1 trillion in new partisan spending and tried to eliminate the $50 billion Rural Hospital Stabilization Fund — a lifeline for communities across the nation. When those demands didn’t fly, they chose to shut the government down.

I’ll call this what it is: a political stunt. And it’s the American people — not the politicians — who feel the impact. Our brave U.S. service members now risk missing a paycheck and many federal employees will be furloughed. Families who rely on food assistance such as WIC could face uncertainty. Farmers and ranchers may run into roadblocks when they need timely support from federal agencies.

Americans deserve better than political theater. We’re a state where people roll up their sleeves, fix problems, and keep moving forward. That’s the approach Washington ought to take too. The clean resolution I supported gives us breathing room to keep the government open and finish the budget process with transparency and accountability.

My staff and I will keep working through this mess. Our offices in Nebraska and Washington remain open to help with casework, though some federal agencies will be slower to respond during the shutdown. Whether you’re a veteran needing help with benefits or a family trying to navigate federal red tape, we’re here to serve.

This shutdown didn’t need to happen, and it doesn’t need to last. All it takes is a handful of Democrats to put partisanship aside, join Republicans, and reopen the government. That’s the common-sense solution, and it’s what Nebraskans sent me here to fight for.

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