WASHINGTON, DC – With a government shutdown imminent, one hundred women legislators and one hundred women community leaders from more than 35 states gathered Monday morning steps from the Capitol to call on Congress to work together to end the brinksmanship and get back to business doing the work of the people.
The group is part of Women's Action for New Directions (WAND) and its program, the Women Legislators' Lobby (WiLL), a national nonpartisan network of women state legislators, who work together to influence federal policy and budget priorities.
“Washington politicians could learn a thing or two from Minnesota,” said State Representative Phyllis Kahn (DFL – Minneapolis). “After our government shut down in 2011, voters threw out the GOP majorities who were responsible. Minnesotans were sick and tired of gridlock. Now, with new DFL majorities, the gridlock is gone. We’ve made real progress on priorities like education, job creation, and economic development. It’s a clear contrast from the dysfunction going on in Washington right now.”
The lawmakers came to the nation’s capital to educate themselves about federal budget priorities in order to be more effective advocates for their constituents needs. A long-planned Day at the Capitol on Tuesday has unexpectedly been upturned as few can speculate whether the Capitol will be open at all.
“WAND's focus is to work with Congress. These women are here specifically to go to the Hill and talk about their community's needs,”said WAND Executive Director Susan Shaer. “We did not expect a political tantrum. We are very disappointed that because of this shutdown we will not be able to communicate our community's needs -- and that is categorically unacceptable.”
From more than 35 states across the country, it was striking how similar the lawmakers found their constituent concerns. Phone calls and emails poured in from people who are elderly and disabled, fearful of losing their Social Security on top of the threat of food stamp cuts and housing subsidy cuts that are just beginning to roll out. Veterans returning from their service are calling concerned about losing their VA benefits while our servicemen and women deployed around the world are wondering whether they will receive their paycheck. The lawmakers expressed strong concern about what a shutdown would do to the people already hurt from Sequestration.
“Two years ago, Minnesota had a government shutdown, and it caused very real harm to our children, our elderly and our disabled who rely on fundamental government services. A federal shutdown would mirror that harm on a much, much larger scale. We need to shutdown the shutdown,” said Minneapolis Senate President and WiLL Vice President Sandy Pappas.
About Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)
WAND is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women to act politically to reduce violence and militarism, and redirect excessive military resources toward unmet human and environmental needs. WAND was founded in 1982, and consists of a 501-C3 WAND Education Fund, a 501-C4 WAND Inc. Action Center for members and chapters, WAND Political Action Committee, and the Women Legislator's Lobby (WiLL) program. WAND is a recognized United Nations NGO. For more information, please visit www.wand.org.
About the Women Legislators’ Lobby (WiLL)
WiLL is a national, nonpartisan network of over 700 women state legislators who work together to influence federal policy and budget priorities. For more information, please visit www.willwand.org.