Tom Udall: “I rise today to talk about a New Mexico family who is severely impacted by the shutdown, and I think there are probably…”

“I rise today to talk about a New Mexico family who is severely impacted by the shutdown, and I think there are probably hundreds of thousands of families like this across the country. This is Leah Teresa Ornelas, her husband Ervie, and their sons Ian and Zachary. They are all from Carlsbad, NM. Zachary, their youngest-- in the middle--had a brain tumor and has undergone two surgeries. Zachary is now disabled and requires constant care. Ervie, his stepfather, reduced his work as a daycare teacher by 75 percent to take care of Zachary. Leah is a public nurse, and her paycheck goes to their high insurance costs and medical bills. The family moved back in together to save on expenses. Their older son, Ian, is now the main provider for the family. Ian works for the Department of the Interior, has been furloughed for 26 days, and has now missed a paycheck. The Ornelas family is scared to death that Ian will miss another check and another check. They simply cannot make it without Ian being paid. The Ornelas family has made tremendous sacrifices as a family. They can make no more adjustments, as the President callously advised. This Trump shutdown must end now. The President and Senate majority must do the right thing for the Ornelas family--and for hundreds of thousands of families across the Nation--and open our government now. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.”