Raúl Grijalva: “Reclaiming my time, I am very grateful for my friend's, Representative McCollum's, leadership on this issue and for the…”

“Reclaiming my time, I am very grateful for my friend's, Representative McCollum's, leadership on this issue and for the tireless efforts of the Appropriations chair and Speaker Pelosi. They are working on behalf of the people to fund and reopen this government. I want to make one particular note. While the harm to our parks has been noted, the damage to Indian Country is less documented and, in many cases, much more personal and devastating. According to a January 1 New York Times report, the shutdown has trapped members of the Navajo Nation in their homes due to unplowed roads in remote areas and has put many Tribal members and their families in severe economic stress. Law enforcement officers continue working without pay because they are Federal employees. Similar scenarios are reported and are playing out in Tribal land across this Nation. The National Council of Urban Indian Health found that 62 percent of the Urban Indian Health Centers will need to cancel programs or cease offering services if the shutdown continues. That process has already begun. Today, I launched an online tool for Americans to share their stories of how the Trump shutdown impacts their lives. I ask them to share their experience of being furloughed, forced to work without pay, and turned away from visiting public lands and denied essential services. Trump and his supporters need to listen to these stories.…”