Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) warned that the government shutdown could extend into Thanksgiving or even longer during a recent appearance on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures.
"I am hearing that we potentially might not be back until even around the Thanksgiving timeframe or after that," Rep. Luna informed over the weekend. She called it "unfortunate because... the military is going without paychecks," and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and electronic benefit transfer (EBT) programs will cease come the beginning of November.
"It is all because [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is afraid of AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and her polling numbers for the Senate," Rep. Luna assessed, adding that she hopes Schumer "can put his ego aside and reopen the government."
Host Maria Bartiromo expressed disbelief at the possibility of the shutdown lasting that long, asking about the ramifications of passing a continuing resolution that extends beyond November 21st, the expiration date of the current resolution.
The Florida Congresswoman said that it is currently a rumor, noting that lawmakers "have a lot of work that we are unable to do because we are not in session."
"Frankly, there are a lot of constituent services that are hard to provide for residents here, not just here, but across the country as a result of the government shutdown," Luna added. "But, yeah, that is unfortunately what we are hearing, and I think that would push us to probably another CR... ultimately, what we are seeing right now is a lack of empathy from Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats."
In the middle of October, several Senate Democrats traveled to Napa Valley, California, for a pre-planned retreat and fundraiser, which Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) called "sociopathic."
"If we keep letting the Democrats fly across the country and fundraise off the shutdown, that is sociopathic that they want to hold hostage our government, deny salaries to people who need it, and then fundraise off it for their political campaigns, it is absolutely unacceptable," Sen. Moody commented.
