News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Michigan Congressmen continue to toe party line on shutdown

DXR

Members of Michigan’s congressional delegation from both sides of the aisle say their parties won’t budge over the federal government shutdown.

The shutdown is now in its second month, and long ago became the longest shutdown in modern history.

At issue is funding for a $5.7 billion border wall. President Trump has said without funding for the wall, he won’t reopen the government.

Congressman Dan Kildee

Democratic U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee said the Democrats are willing to discuss border security, but federal workers can’t be used as leverage. He said the President is being childish.

“He said it right in the oval office. He said ‘I will shut the government down if I don’t get my way.’ And unfortunately, the country is paying a high price for that.”

Republican Congressman John Moolenaar said Democrats need to come to the table and approve funding for the wall.

Congressman John Moolenaar

“It’s really time for the Democrats and the leadership of the Democrats to come to the table and support a compromise. That would end the shutdown and we could move forward.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will soon miss their second payday of the month.