Colorado's U.S. Republicans turn up the heat on Democratic Senators Bennet, Hickenlooper
As the government shutdown stretches into another week, federal funding for food assistance is set to run out in just over a week.
Friday was supposed to be the payday for many federal employees who have been furloughed for a month. Instead, some employees got a paystub showing zero dollars.
Colorado's Republican members of the United States Congress are growing increasingly frustrated with the refusal of Democratic members to pass a funding bill.
U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank, Gabe Evans and Jeff Hurd fired off a letter to U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and warned Coloradans are suffering because of the shutdown.
Fifty-five thousand federal employees are facing financial hardship, and more than 600,000 Coloradans could lose food stamps in November.
The Republicans say food pantry visits by military families are up 30%, and more than $36 million in FEMA funding in the state is on hold.
Meanwhile, they say Colorado's gross domestic product is decreasing by $289 million per week.
Democrats refuse to fund the government until Republicans agree to extend billions of dollars in health care subsidies for people on the exchange.
Crank, who represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District, accused the Senate Democrats of holding thousands of Americans hostage to get their way.
"Obviously, we want them to do what they've done 13 times in the Biden administration and many times throughout their career," Crank told CBS Colorado. "That is to simply continue with what is called a clean, continuing resolution. But it just basically says that we are going to continue funding government at its current level to give us more time to get some of these appropriations bills done."
"We want them to do what they've done 13 times under the Biden administration... that is to continue funding the government at current levels... give time to get appropriations bills done."
Bennet released a statement saying, "It is preposterous to accuse me and Senator Hickenlooper of not doing our jobs when the Republican Colorado delegation and the rest of the House have been out of session for over a month. Unlike the members of the House, we have flown to Washington every week of this shutdown to continue to fight on behalf of Americans' health care, the citizens of Colorado and our committed federal employees."
Sen. Hickenlooper also released a statement accusing the four republicans of trying to get attention.
"All of them have my number, and all of them are welcome to call me when they want to get serious," Hickenlooper said in the statement.
