‘Military families already seeking food assistance due to financial anxiety caused by Democrat shutdown’: White House

WASHINGTON, DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday (local time) said that military families have already begun to seek food assistance due to the “financial anxiety” caused by the “Democrat shutdown”.

Briefing the reporters, it was noted that 1.3 million men and women of America’s Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force are not being paid.

“We are now in day 3 of the Democrat-led government shutdown. There are significant personal impacts on millions of Americans as a result of this current government shutdown. The 1.3 million men and women of America’s Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force are not being paid. Military families are already seeking out food assistance because of financial anxiety caused by this Democrat shutdown,” Karoline Leavitt said.

The White House Press Secretary stated that more military families require assistance with food, and that there has been a 34 per cent surge in families seeking help through the food pantry.

“Staff members at the Armed Services YMCA food pantry distribution location near Fort Hood in Texas found a line of military families stretched around the side of the building at 5.00 am yesterday. According to the staff who work there, that has “never happened”. They’ve already had a 34 per cent increase this week,” Leavitt said.

She said that nearly seven million mothers, infants, and low-income families who rely on the government-run food assistance programme will be in jeopardy if the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programme runs out of funds. Leavitt informed that 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay in the country, whereas the National Flood Insurance Program is in danger of lapsing.

“Nearly seven million mothers, infants, and low-income families who rely on government-run food assistance will be in jeopardy if the WIC programme runs out of money in the weeks ahead. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers in airports across the country are currently working without pay. The National Flood Insurance Program is in danger of lapsing, which could leave families without the necessary help if a disaster strikes,” the White House Press Secretary added.

She stressed that the critical services which are offered at Social Security field offices are reduced for senior citizens and disabled American citizens. Leavitt noted that helpful transition assistance programmes are not being provided for veterans who are trying to re-enter civilian life.

“And we are in the middle of hurricane season. Critical services offered at Social Security field offices are reduced for senior citizens and disabled Americans. Helpful transition assistance programmes are not being provided for veterans who are now trying to re-enter civilian life. The economic consequences of this shutdown are piling up every day. Policy makers, markets, and even the Federal Reserve are flying blind at a key juncture because BLS and BEA data are on hold until the government reopens,” Leavitt said.

Stating that the US could have a USD 15 billion gross domestic product each week, Karoline Leavitt mentioned that the federal government shutdown has extended for a month, leading to an additional 43,000 unemployed people.

“The US economy could lose $15 billion of gross domestic product each week. The Democrat shutdown extends with a month-long shutdown, leading to an additional 43,000 unemployed people. Small businesses are likely to encounter delays in receiving federal loans. Mortgage applications will shrink,” she added.

The federal government slipped into a partial shutdown after lawmakers missed the midnight funding deadline on Wednesday, leaving several agencies without a budget. Essential services continue to operate, but many departments face disruptions as negotiations remain stalled, as per Fox News.

President Donald Trump, who has sought to use the shutdown to push for deeper spending cuts, said he was scheduled to meet OMB Director Russell Vought to discuss which agencies might face reductions. Vought has been asked to recommend whether potential cuts should be temporary or permanent.

In a social media post, Trump appeared to embrace the political standoff, writing that Democrats had given him “an unprecedented opportunity” to reshape the federal government. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he wrote.

Leaders of both parties are privately and publicly adamant that they will not be blamed for the funding lapse: Republicans insist Democrats need to simply agree to extend current funding for another seven weeks.

Meanwhile, Democrats refuse to do so without major concessions for lending their votes to pass any funding measure in the Senate, as per CNN. (ANI)