Call to Action: January 18, 2019

Trump’s shutdown—which McConnell and the GOP-controlled Senate won’t end—is in its fourth week with no exit plan. That it’s causing the greatest hardships to the lowest-paid federal workers and contractors and negatively impacting the least fortunate Americans, concerns neither Trump nor the right-wing GOP members who appear happy to diminish the federal government. Trump’s selective callback of furloughed employees to support his political agenda or reward key constituencies violates the Antideficiency Act’s requirement that such callbacks are permitted only to address emergencies.

Under the Constitution, Congress makes laws that the Executive Branch enforces. While the Executive can veto legislation sent to it, Congress is given the power to override any veto by a 2/3 majority in each house. McConnell knows this—overriding Reagan’s vetoes six times and passing a dozen bills Obama threatened to veto.  

In its first act of business, the new House passed legislation to reopen the government that the Senate had passed – almost unanimously – in December. McConnell can reopen the government immediately by allowing this Senate to do likewise. Instead, he’s refused to bring to the floor anything Trump hasn’t approved—an act of cowardice effectively making Trump an autocrat. 

Congress must act now.

The Senate must refuse to conduct any business until the government reopens.

The House must investigate any Antideficiency Act violations. 

Alice DiMicele