Senator Ashley Moody took to the Senate floor today, delivering an impassioned address urging her Democratic colleagues to abandon what she termed a “partisan spectacle” and vote immediately to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
With the shutdown hitting its 37th day, Senator Moody sharply criticized the ongoing political maneuvers, arguing that American families and essential workers are paying a “high price” for the Democrats’ “show.”
“Today is Day 37 of the longest-ever government shutdown. And American families and American workers are paying the price for Democrats to put on a show,” Senator Moody stated. “From poetry being read at night, to protests, to press conferences, it’s a high price to pay. That means that our troops, federal law enforcement officers, air traffic controllers, and other essential personnel, families in need that go paycheck to paycheck, aren’t getting a paycheck…”
The Senator highlighted the immense hardship placed on those serving the country, noting that heroes who protect and defend the nation are “suffering” and have been left wondering how to “pay their bills or keep food on the table for their families.”
Moody directly accused her Democratic colleagues of using the American people as “political leverage.” She claimed Democrats have voted FOURTEEN times to keep the government closed while simultaneously continuing to collect their own paychecks.
“The American people did not send us here to let the government shut down and stop working,” she asserted, stating that those forcing the shutdown are acting “against the will of the people” and even against the wishes of workers’ groups.
Beyond ending the current impasse, Senator Moody called for legislative action to ensure a government shutdown never happens again. She urged Senators to support several forthcoming bills designed to prevent future funding lapses:
- Cosponsoring: The No Budget No Pay Act and the Eliminate Shutdowns Act.
- Supporting: Senator Lankford’s Prevent Government Shutdown Act.
“Lock Congress in the Capitol”
Concluding her remarks, Senator Moody demanded that her colleagues “end this shutdown—stay here until we get it done. Stay here until we pass the clean continuing resolution so we can continue the people’s work…”
She ended with a provocative suggestion aimed at breaking the gridlock and restoring good-faith governing.
“Government must work for the people. If showboating politicians begin sabotaging the very operation of our government… all options need to be on the table,” Moody concluded. “Let’s Make Congress Work Again, and until we can do that, maybe we need to lock Congress in the Capitol until that happens—no bail, no revolving Capitol door.”
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