Washington — U. S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and more than a dozen other freshmen Democrats marched from the House of Representatives to the Senate on Wednesday to…
Washington — U. S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and more than a dozen other freshmen Democrats marched from the House of Representatives to the Senate on Wednesday to tell Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to end the partial government shutdown.
Trailed by staff and reporters, they walked together from the House cloak room, under the Capitol dome to McConnell’s office, where aides told the group he was unavailable.
The Democrats left behind a letter they had signed, urging the Republican leader to take up bills passed by the House to reopen government departments. The shutdown is now in its fourth week.
After her colleagues left, Tlaib of Detroit said she remained in the office an extra minute or two, hoping McConnell might meet with a smaller group.
« We want to urge the leadership of the Senate and empower him. That he can act without the president’s approval, » Tlaib said.
She accused President Donald Trump and Republican leaders of using federal workers and services as « pawns, » insisting lawmakers can negotiate border security after the government is reopened.
« There’s a huge fear (among constituents) that there’s just no end to it. We did everything we can. We even passed a bill just to reopen it for two weeks, and the Senate won’t move that either, » Tlaib said.
« The focus is to try to get the Senate to see the human toll it’s taking on many of our folks back home. »
Trump has demanded $5.
