Copyright Everett Herald
By Michael Baumgartner / For The Herald When I was sworn into Congress this past January, I knew I had much to learn, from navigating committee schedules to the logistics of cross-country commuting. I did not expect that less than a year into my first term, I would be part of one of the longest government shutdowns in our nation’s history. Here in Washington state, we have a knack for working together to solve hard problems. Our state’s House delegation, composed of eight Democrats and two Republicans, frequently finds common ground. We broadly agree on the need for a strong national defense and support for our innovative tech and energy sectors, from hydropower to nuclear. If it were left to our delegation, we could have likely found a way forward without shuttering federal agencies. I recently traveled to the Middle East and China with Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., (9th District), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. We found our foreign policy views aligned in many ways, especially on the critical challenge posed by China. I’ve worked closely with Sen. Maria Cantwell to protect the fabric of college sports — from Gonzaga basketball to WSU football — from being torn apart by a mad rush of venture capital and television money. These past ten months has had points of policy cooperation and many personal kindnesses that prove a pragmatic, bipartisan spirit is alive and well. Yet, we are now deep into a government shutdown that is inflicting needless pain on federal workers and the public we serve. The mechanics of this shutdown are simple: on Sept. 19, the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 21. The Senate failed to pass that bill, or any other, to keep the government fully operating. The House bill passed with a simple majority, 217-212. But in the Senate, procedural rules require 60 votes, and the chamber is locked in partisan gridlock. This shutdown means air traffic controllers are working without pay. It means our national parks are shuttered, and many services for our veterans and seniors are on hold. While my office remains open, many government services are closed. Eventually, a solution will be found, but it won’t fix the underlying dysfunction. Members of both parties know the federal budget process is broken. We are spending $7 trillion annually while bringing in only $5 trillion in revenue. This has led to a ballooning national debt, where interest payments are now one of the largest expenditures in the federal budget, more than the Defense Department. The last time Congress passed all its appropriations bills on time, through what’s known as “regular order,” was in 1997. Not coincidentally, the budget was balanced then. This current crisis is particularly troubling because it sets a dangerous precedent. The short-term funding bill passed by the House is not the place for Senate Democrats to demand major policy changes. If a minority in one chamber can shut down the entire government to force its policy agenda, productive negotiation becomes impossible. It’s clear this impasse is about more than just budget particulars. Democrats view Donald Trump as an illegitimate president, a wannabe “king” or dictator who must be stopped, by any means necessary. But our system is built on accepting the results of free and fair elections. The president was elected last year, his cabinet was confirmed by the Senate, and his administration’s actions have been subject to judicial review. When this shutdown finally ends, government services will resume, and Donald Trump will still be the president. There will still be “No Kings,” but our air traffic controllers will get their paychecks, our national parks will reopen and our veterans will receive their full services. The budget process needs to be fixed, and the budget balanced, but that will take the bipartisan cooperation the people of Washington state expect and deserve. U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., represents the state’ 5th Congressional District.
