Freshman Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross shortly after his widely condemned comments about his confusion over why federal workers are using food banks, inviting him to visit one with her.

She opened her letter by saying that she wants to give him some context to understand the situation federal workers are in.

“Recent studies have shown that nearly 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and given that by tomorrow our federal employees will have gone two full pay periods with no income, I think it is entirely understandable that these hard-working Americans are doing whatever they can to put food on the table for themselves and their families,” Wexton wrote.

“Additionally, I wanted to extend an invitation to you to visit the Capital Area Food Bank with me this weekend to meet some of these federal employees, hear their stories firsthand and realize how important it is to end this shutdown as soon as possible before people’s lives are irreparably harmed,” she added.

Read the full letter here:

