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The shutdown of the U.S. government is entering its fourth week, and while it’s a staggering thought that the stalemate has dragged on this long, few people seem to notice the absence of America’s legislative body. That could change, however, as more deadlines are passed without the funding to continue funding things as basic as paying the troops and running the nation’s air traffic. U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY 11) is one of the 535 lawmakers cooling their heels as the government stays shut. She appeared on 710 WOR’s Mendte in the Morning program to discuss what happens next as various deadlines come and go.
When host Larry Mendte pointed out that critics suggested Republicans were enjoying a vacation on the taxpayer’s dime, Malliotakis bristled at the suggestion: “First of all, we’re working in the district with the backlog of issues that have come up during the shutdown, but besides that, the real answer to the question is that we did our job. We passed our bill, which was the bill negotiated with Chuck Schumer last year. It’s an extension of that funding that they previously voted for three times, so they’re not doing their job because they refuse to vote for the same bill that they previously supported.”
Malliotakis thinks the Democrats will finally come around and accept a deal to re-open the government. “I think that you will eventually get those individuals. They need to hear from their constituents, and things, as I said, will continue to progress and get worse. There’s only so much of a Band-Aid the White House can put on to minimize the pain.”
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