Now that the federal government is in a shutdown after lawmakers could not come to an agreement on a short-term funding measure, leaders from around the DMV are reacting.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser:
“A federal government shutdown will not shut down the DC Government,” said Mayor Bowser. “DC will remain open, our students will be in class, our parks will be clean, our streets will be safe, and we will continue to function as a world-class city no matter what happens in Congress.”
D.C. City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson:
“The shutdown and subsequent threats to employees’ livelihoods by the federal government is disappointing, unfortunately unsurprising, and ultimately avoidable,” Mendelson said. “The Republicans hold control of both Houses of the Legislature as well as the Presidency. This is a problem of their own doing.
“But make no mistake, the District government will continue to function. The District is well-managed and we have funds in our coffers, so we will continue operations. The federal government could learn by the example set by the District of Columbia government.”
“While the shutdown will undoubtedly impact some District residents employed by the federal government, local services will not be affected. We may also see some cutback in federal services and that will also affect District residents.”
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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin:
“Schumer shut the government down because he’s controlled by the progressive left. So are Kaine and Warner. No Virginian should be supporting this shut down.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore:
“While Washington sows division, in Maryland, we stand united,” Moore said. “We are doing, and will continue to do everything in our collective power to keep our people safe, and keep our state moving forward… My message to President Trump is clear: Stop this shutdown. You’re the one causing it, we’re the ones dealing with it. And Marylanders are the ones feeling it.”
Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.):
“Republicans have the keys to the kingdom. They control the White House and have majorities in the Senate and House. They have used the power they have to dismantle the government and negatively impact the lives and livelihoods of hardworking Americans.
“Tonight, Republicans have used their power to shut down the government.
“The American people, including our patriotic federal workers, will pay the price for Republicans’ callousness and incompetence.”
Candidate for governor Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.):
“Virginians are already facing the dire impacts of DOGE, reckless tariffs, and attacks on their healthcare coverage. And now, our Commonwealth faces totally unnecessary job cuts as President Trump promises to enact mass firings.
“With each new attack from the White House, Winsome Earle-Sears fails to stand up for Virginia’s families, workforce, and economy. Just yesterday, when given multiple opportunities to publicly ask the President to stop further cuts to Virginia jobs, she outright refused to do so.
“We need a Governor who will put Virginia first, no matter who is in the White House or which party controls the levers of power across the Potomac. As Governor, I will remain focused on lowering costs for Virginia families, protecting access to affordable healthcare, and — critically — always standing up for Virginia jobs and businesses.
“President Trump must reverse course and work in good faith to end this shutdown as soon as possible. And we need leaders in Richmond who will demand this of the President, not use this moment as an opportunity to punish even more Virginians.”
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Candidate for governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R-Va.):
“Virginians did not vote for this. Senator Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and their sidekick, Abigail Spanberger, supported a government shutdown. They chose politics over people and left families wondering how they’ll pay their bills. At a time when Virginians need leadership, they chose to play games.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)
“We refuse to vote for a spending bill that locks in savage cuts to the health care of the people and wages war against the middle class. Rather than work with us to extend ACA health insurance tax credits, protect Medicare and Medicaid, and keep hospitals from closing, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have chosen to use their control of the House, the Senate and the White House to shut down the government and continue their corruption of the government and their plunder of the economy for the richest Americans.
“For Maryland’s Eighth District, MAGA’s refusal to extend the ACA health insurance tax credits will be devastating for a lot of my constituents because it will lead to a more than160% increase in monthly premiums for lower-income Americans. With Maryland’s open enrollment period starting November 1, these tax credits must be extended as soon as possible to avoid mass confusion and the imminent loss of healthcare insurance for hundreds of thousands of Marylanders. And let’s not forget that between hospital closures, doctor shortages, and rising premiums, the American people are being systematically left behind by the Monstrous, Ugly Bill bankrupting America.
“I’m fighting hard to reopen our government, put federal workers back to work and keep the critical services we depend on running, but let’s not forget how we got here. MAGA controls the House, the Senate and the White House, and instead of using their political power to help middle-class Americans, they have all bowed down to Trump and his corrupt schemes. And they also want to avoid at all costs having to release the Epstein files now that a new Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona has given us a majority to force a discharge of the Epstein file release bill.
“Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune are following orders from President Trump who instructed them not to negotiate with Democrats. This hurts all Americans, including seniors, young people and the tens of thousands of federal workers who call Maryland’s beautiful eighth congressional district home. American democracy and the achievements of democracy, like Medicaid, are all under attack.
“Finally, Democrats also won’t support a spending bill that doesn’t put an end to President Trump’s dishonorable, duplicitous and dubious recissions. Once Congress passes federal funding, it’s the president’s job to spend it as directed—not distort, withhold or cancel it. Congressional appropriations acts are federal laws that deliver the critical services the American people need and cannot be unilaterally dissolved by the president or his party.
“Democrats remain ready to come to the table to bring this irresponsible and vicious MAGA shutdown to an end.”
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy:
“We can’t know what the future holds in Congress, but we can identify both government and community resources and be at the ready to meet the needs of the people of Prince George’s County. We’re working with our County and State Legislature, with the Governor’s Office and with our federal delegation to protect Prince Georgians in the event of a shutdown.”
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.):
“A shutdown is a failure of governance, but that has been this administration’s aim from the beginning.
“For more than eight months, Donald Trump and his Majority in Congress have tried to stop the federal government from functioning. They have purged tens of thousands of federal workers. They have shuttered numerous federal agencies. They have dismantled critical services for the American people. Now, they have shut down the government as an extension of that effort – all because they refuse to work with Democrats to stop Americans’ health care costs from soaring. They even fled town after jamming through a funding bill designed to eliminate any chance for bipartisan cooperation in the Senate.
“We are ready and waiting to work with Republicans to extend the ACA tax credits that are set to expire, which would cause monthly health care premium costs to rise dramatically for 300,000 Marylanders, and to keep the government open. That can only happen if my colleagues stop putting politics over people.”