There are 248,000 veterans who are not receiving paychecks due to Trump’s government shutdown.
According to a statement provided to PoliticusUSA by AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council Executive Director Will Attig:
It is disgraceful that an estimated 248,400 veterans across the country are not receiving paychecks because of dysfunction in Washington, D.C. Our veterans who continue to serve by protecting our borders, guarding prisoners and stopping terrorist attacks at airport do not deserve to be used as political pawns.
Many of our union veterans believe we should improve border security but their financial security should not be put at stake. This shutdown has consequences that go beyond loss of pay. Financial instability is one of the main cause of suicides among the veterans’ community. These hard-working men and women who sacrificed so much for their country should not have their families held hostage by lawmakers that cannot relate to living paycheck to paycheck.
The average government worker who is being impacted by this shutdown makes $500/week. These are people who serve and protect the public but live paycheck to paycheck. They do not deserve what Donald Trump is doing to them. Trump is trying to increase the pain on regular Americans so that the taxpayers will pay for his wall.
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Democrats have passed legislation to reopen the government. The blame is on the shoulders of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump.
People who fought for and served their country are being harmed because Trump lied about Mexico paying for a wall. Vets deserve better than to be screwed over by Trump because one of his lies has come back to haunt him.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
