“The pause on federal funding the Trump administration announced last night has created massive fear and chaos nationwide. Moms are asking if their schools will be able to provide lunch to their kids tomorrow, if Head Start and child care programs will open, if WIC will still be available for infants and toddlers, and if SNAP will be accessible for groceries. Moms are asking if the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid will continue operating, if nursing homes and suicide and domestic violence hotlines will stay open, if veterans can count on their health care, and if federal cancer trials will continue. These and other programs allow parents to work, children to thrive, people to contribute to their communities, and small businesses and our economy to succeed. That’s why bipartisan members of Congress used the authority they, and only they, have to fund them. Donald Trump has no authority to pause federal payments. He is not king.

“The power of the purse belongs to Congress and spending the funds Congress appropriated is not optional. Moms are looking to every member of Congress – Republicans as well as Democrats – to take aggressive, decisive action to immediately end this funding pause, which hurts our families, small businesses, and economy. 

“This funding pause is a betrayal of working families and a clear first step to passing a destructive package that will strip our families and communities of vital services in order to pass tax cuts for President Trump’s billionaire cronies. It violates the separation of powers that makes our country strong. Congress must stand up for families by defeating this reckless action, which violates our laws and our Constitution.”