Against Lapses in Federal Government Appropriations
Adopted at the 87th Annual Meeting in 2019
WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of Federal employees and Federal contractors were furloughed and forced out of work, or if deemed essential, forced to work without pay, for the over one-month period; and
WHEREAS, nearly every member of the House of Representatives has at least one federal employee on contractor in their jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, the length of the furlough meant federal employees missed a paycheck and 78 percent of Americans report that they live paycheck to paycheck, and the 4.1 million affected federal contractors did not receive backpay for nearly 4 weeks of missed work; and
WHEREAS, the federal government shutdown led to great uncertainty amongst the American public, particularly for cities' most at-risk residents as rental assistance benefits expired and workarounds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had to be identified and implemented rapidly; and
WHEREAS, the federal government shutdown also affected several non-profits that provide critical services for Americans through anti-opioid legislation and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); and
WHEREAS, the federal government shutdown led to Transit Security Administration agents working without pay and not reporting to work, leading to the closure of terminals at airports throughout the country, significantly increased security lines, and decreased passenger security; and
WHEREAS, furloughed National Park Service staff led to the closure of nearly one third of national park sites, and necessitated the use of recreational fees to keep other parks open, which experienced increased problems of waste, litter, unpermitted activities and other threats to wildlife and habitats,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors applauds federal employees and contractors for their work on behalf of the people of the United States,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors calls on the federal government to fulfill the obligations of their elected offices and maintain uninterrupted open and functioning government to serve taxpaying American citizens.