U.S. service members are beginning to show signs of financial stress due to the government shutdown, but Senate Democrats are giving little indication they will reopen the government.
Military families are seeking out food assistance due to fears service members will not receive their next paycheck on Oct. 15 if the shutdown continues, the Military Times reported. Senate Democrats blamed Republicans when asked by the DCNF about the shutdown’s toll on military families on Friday and expressed little willingness to reopen the government without having their partisan demands met first.
“President Donald Trump needs to be a leader and provide the support necessary to bring this together,” Democratic New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján told the DCNF. “Republicans are in charge of the House, the Senate and the White House.”
The New Mexico Democrat did not directly comment on the shutdown’s impact on military families.
Active-duty service members have been required to report to work without immediate pay since the government shutdown began Wednesday at midnight. A majority of Senate Democrats, including Luján, have refused to reopen the government until Republicans agree to spend an extra $1.5 trillion on healthcare policies and restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to claw back congressionally-appropriated funds.
A food pantry near Fort Hood, Texas, saw a 34% increase in demand this week compared to previous weeks, the Military Times reported. The financial toll on military families could grow larger as Senate Democrats continue to reject a clean, bipartisan spending bill to fund the government.
“A shutdown is a horrible thing,” Democratic Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock told the DCNF. “I don’t want to see a shutdown. What I also don’t want to see is people’s healthcare premiums quadruple.”
Warnock voted against reopening the government on Friday.
Democratic lawmakers also claimed Republicans are responsible for military families experiencing financial stress during the shutdown.
“People are feeling this in their wallets right away,” Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden told the DCNF. “All we want is some discussions in order to get something done.”
“Start negotiations. I mean, obviously Republicans, Trump’s cheerleading to shut down,” Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy told the DCNF despite nearly every GOP lawmaker voting to fund the government. “They’re refusing to enter into serious negotiations. That’s pretty bad for military families.”
GOP leaders have repeatedly said they see no reason to negotiate with Democrats over various policy demands until Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer supplies the votes to reopen the government.
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also blamed Republicans for creating financial insecurity for military families during a brief interview with the DCNF.
Senate Republicans and a handful of moderate Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, have criticized Schumer’s shutdown strategy that is forcing millions of Americans to work without pay.
“I just can’t express to you how stupid I think this is and how destructive this is,” Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley told the DCNF. “Why is Congress getting paid? But the military is not getting paid?”
“I would urge my Democrat colleagues — like, let’s stop the hostage taking,” Hawley continued.
The Department of War slammed Democrats for shutting down the government — and inflicting financial stress on military families — in a statement to the DCNF.
“It is astonishing that the Democrats are choosing to inflict massive pain on the American people and our warfighters by opting for a government shutdown,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said. “They believe slush funds for PBS and free healthcare for illegal immigrants is more important than funding our warfighters and our veterans.”
“Democrats in Congress are damaging the country, and they ought to reconsider who is important in this fight and who they’re hurting as a result of their inaction,” Parnell added.
Senate Republicans are hopeful a group of rank-and-file Democrats will ultimately buck Schumer and join with Republicans to reopen the government.
“It’s completely avoidable,” Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines said regarding the shutdown’s toll on military families. “If we just had five Democrats join us this afternoon, put an end to this nonsense. This is political theater that I haven’t seen since Hamilton.”
Caden Olson and Andi Shae Napier contributed to this report.
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