Washington, DC—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) today helped serve meals for federal employees and their families impacted by the government shutdown at the World Central Kitchen’s #ChefsforFeds pop-up kitchen. More than 800,000 federal employees in Hawai‘i and across the country have been furloughed or working without pay since the partial government shutdown began 26 days ago.

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said: “Hundreds of thousands of federal employees across our country are scrambling to make ends meet as a result of this reckless, 26 day-long government shutdown. Senator McConnell and President Trump continue to put politics before their responsibilities to serve the American people, leaving our working people unable to pay medical bills, afford their rent and mortgage, and put food on the table for their children. Although our nation’s leaders have failed to step up, everyday Americans haven’t hesitated to take this charge, share their aloha, and care for each other. We cannot allow our people to shoulder the government’s responsibility to function. Senator McConnell and President Trump must pass the House’s bipartisan legislation and re-open the government now."

Background:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has voted seven times to re-open the federal government since this shutdown began on December 22, 2018. She has announced that she will donate her salary during the government shutdown to U.S. Vets, a private non-profit organization that provides a variety of services to veterans in Hawai‘i and across the country, including housing and employment assistance, counseling, veterans benefits and treatment for mental and physical health problems and substance abuse, and more.

Yesterday, the congresswoman spoke on the House floor, calling for an end to the government shutdown. She also rallied and marched from the AFL-CIO headquarters to the White House in solidarity with federal employees from dozens of unions, who have been furloughed or forced to work without pay.

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