Councilmember Dunn: Federal shutdown must end

October 16, 2013

Summary

Story

As one of the largest counties in the country, King County works hand –in- hand with the Federal Government in a number of important areas. The ongoing government shutdown is having adverse negative effects on King County and Metropolitan King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn said it’s time for Congress to come together and put an end the gridlock.

Dunn has sent a letter to the members of the U.S. Congress that represent County Council District 9 urging them to act on the bipartisan agreement announced today by the U.S. Senate.

“I represent nearly a quarter million people on the King County Council,” said Dunn. “My constituents want their leaders to work together on a long term vision and a thoughtful plan to move us forward and stop hurting the citizens and children they are supposed to represent.”

Dunn’s letter to the delegation informs them that King County is being hurt by the current stalemate in Congress with furloughs and cuts to important services. King County Executive Dow Constantine announced last week that more than 80 King County Public Health workers who administer food assistance to women, infants, and children through the program known as WIC (Women, Infant and Children) have received 45-day layoff notices as a result of the current partial federal government shutdown.

The WIC program provides vouchers for nutritious foods and infant formula, health screenings, nutrition and health education, and breastfeeding support. Last month, through the Seattle - King County Public Health Clinic in Renton in County Council District 9, WIC served 3,059 clients. Should this shutdown continue this program will stop and these children will not receive the valuable services the program provides.

The members of Congress that represent King County Council District 9 have publically voiced their willingness to vote for measures that will bring this partial shutdown to an end. The purpose of the letter was to communicate to those members what Dunn has been hearing on a local level and provide them context on the impacts the partial shutdown is having on their mutual constituents.


Letter to Rep. Dave Reichert

Letter to Rep. Adam Smith