McBride to Speaker Johnson: “Call the House back to work. Reopen the government. Restore the services people count on.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Delaware's lone member of Congress, Congresswoman Sarah McBride sent a letterto Speaker of the House Mike Johnson urging him to immediately reconvene the House of Representatives to pay U.S. service members, reopen the government, and deliver for the American people.

"I write to you extremely concerned that you have cancelled votes in the House of Representatives on October 14th, and I demand that you call House Republicans back to Washington to pass legislation to pay our troops, do the work of the American people, and reopen the government," McBride wrote. "House Republicans have been missing in action for 21 days now, while the American people expect us to do our jobs and negotiate a deal to deliver results. Democrats are here and ready. Let's get back to work."

McBride warned that continued inaction will result in U.S. service members going without pay for the first time in history, including personnel at Dover Air Force Base and within the Delaware National Guard.

"With Congress out of session on October 14th, we are unable to pass the bipartisan legislation needed to ensure that our service members receive their paychecks. If our troops go without pay, this will be a shameful first in our nation's history," McBride wrote."At Dover Air Force Base, one of the nation's most critical military installations, men and women who perform some of the most solemn and vital missions are being asked to serve without compensation. The same is true for members of the Delaware National Guard, who stand ready to respond in times of crisis at home and abroad. They have kept their promise to our country; Congress must keep ours."

McBride also highlighted the impact of the ongoing shutdown on working families and small businesses across the country.

"Let's be clear about why we're here. More than 20 million Americans, including 16,000 Delawareans, are facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums," she continued."These are very real consequences for working families in my state of Delaware, your state of Louisiana, and across the country. Extending these necessary health care subsidies is a very simple task, but MAGA Republican leadership chose to walk away instead of working to fix this. This is not about politics. It's about whether families can see a doctor, afford their prescriptions, and count on the services that they need."

"Every week of delay means another service member unsure when they'll be paid, another Delaware family missing a paycheck, another veteran unable to access care, and another small business owner wondering how to make ends meet," McBride wrote."My constituents, and yours, depend on a functioning government to do its most basic job: serve the people."

In closing, McBride called on the Speaker to "roll up our sleeves and deliver results."

"Mr. Speaker, it's time to roll up our sleeves and deliver results. As Delaware's sole member of Congress, I can tell you that the people of my state have been clear. Call the House back to work. Reopen the government. Restore the services people count on. Together, we can show that Congress still has the capacity to work for the people and deliver progress over chaos. That's the Delaware way-neighbors stepping up, working together, and delivering results."

###