R 037
2019 -- S 0036
Enacted 01/16/2019

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

     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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LC000696
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