U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard spoke on the House floor this morning, calling for an end to the federal government shutdown on its 25th day, highlighting a Maui resident who is working for the Transportation Security Administration without pay.

Gabbard, a presidential candidate for 2020, noted it has been 25 days since over 800,000 federal employees have either been going to work without pay or been furloughed and are wondering how they will pay their rent or mortgage as well as bills to take care of their families.

”I heard recently from Jay, from the island of Maui in my district in Hawaii, who’s a TSA employee who has been working this entire time without pay, wondering how he’s going to pay his mortgage, car, and credit card payments and life-saving medical care that he needs to provide for his daughter,” said Gabbard. “Jay is not alone.”

“Our national parks are filling with trash, our Coast Guard members are working without pay, being told they should hold garage sales or start babysitting to help pay for the bills while the government is shut down,” she said. “Food stamps for tens of millions of Americans are at risk. Low-income housing subsidies are impacting over 340,000 elderly and disabled veterans who depend on that rental assistance. The safety and security of our country is at risk. We cannot turn our backs on our brothers and sisters. These are real people, real families, real lives, and real futures. Senator McConnell and President Trump must pass the bipartisan legislation we have already passed and reopen the government now.”