2019 -- S 0036

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LC000696

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE

HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS END THEIR

IMPASSE AND REACH A DEAL TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, McCaffrey, Lombardi, Metts, and Satchell

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Since December 22 of 2018, the United States Government has been

partially closed due to an impasse between President Trump and the United States Congress,

affecting nine executive departments, one-fourth of government activities, and 800,000 thousand

federal employees, including hundreds of Rhode Islanders. The current impasse has surpassed the

twenty-three day shutdown of 1995-1996; and

     WHEREAS, Important agencies negatively impacted by the shutdown include Food and

Safety inspections and oversight with ninety-five percent of the USDA's Food and Nutrition

Services being furloughed. Many of our national parks and national museums have been forced to

operate without staff and with the closing of all buildings. At Yosemite National Park, a death

due to a fall went unreported for a week due to the lack of staff. Additionally, many airline and

aircraft safety workers have been furloughed and our nation's air traffic controllers are currently

working without pay; and

     WHEREAS, According to a study by WalletHub, Rhode Island is the 11th most affected

state in the nation by the shutdown and the most impacted state in New England. Sadly, 42,000

Coast Guard service personnel, including many Rhode Islanders, are currently not getting paid

and are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. The workers for Rhode Island companies

that build ships for the Coast Guard are also not getting paid; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests that the President of the United States and the United States

Congress come together and do what's best for our nation by reaching a deal to end the current

partial federal government shutdown; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, Donald J.

Trump, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the Majority

Leader of the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell, and the Rhode Island delegation to the

United States Congress.

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