Congress has shut down much of the federal government, with the help of some Democrats. Southern Arizona’s Representative Ron Barber voted to shutter the federal government, angering many of his constituents. Arizona Legislator, Phil Lopes condemned the vote, while organizing “a peaceful, silent protest of Mr. Barber’s outrageous vote to halt the Government of the United States and “Non-essential Services.”
Carlos Galindo, of Radio Fiesta 1400 AM, blasted both Barber and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema for her vote in support of the government shutdown.
Mr. Barber is considered a centrist, and votes with Republicans occasionally.
Tim Stellar, of the Arizona Daily Star, asked what Mr. Barber’s vote meant:
Delaying “the individual mandate is not about torpedoing or destroying the Affordable Care Act, which I support in the main,” Barber said.
“It’s wrong to shut down the government. There’s no other way to say it. It’s just plain wrong,” he said, adding that he will donate his salary to charity during the shutdown.
Rep. Barber released this statement:
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO END SHUTDOWN
Oct 3, 2013
Press Release
Congressman says ‘there is a way out of this mess’ after meeting with bipartisan group of colleagues
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Ron Barber today stood with Rep. Ron Kind, a Wisconsin Democrat, and Rep. Charlie Dent, a Pennsylvania Republican, and a bipartisan group of their colleagues, in saying there is a way to quickly end the irresponsible shutdown of the federal government.
“Today I am standing with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tell the people we represent that there is a way out of this mess,” Barber said this morning. “There is a way to end the government shutdown. This bipartisan group is proof that we can work together to solve the problems facing our nation.”
Since the shutdown began early Tuesday, Barber has had several meetings with small groups of Republicans and Democrats to seek a way to resolve the shutdown. Today, more than a dozen members of that group joined Barber for a press conference to offer a proposal that provides a path to end this unproductive standoff.
“We are united and we are gaining momentum,” Barber said of the group members who are working on a solution that will be acceptable to both the House and Senate.
“Although we don’t agree on everything, we can still get something done for the good of the people we represent,” Barber said. “We are ready to work together to end this shutdown and do the job the American people sent us here to do.”
Effects of the shutdown, which started at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, are sweeping.
In Arizona, the state yesterday stopped sending Temporary Assistance to Needy Families benefit checks to new or renewing families. In all, 5,150 families lost assistance, which averages $207 a month.
Four Head Start programs that offer preschool activities for 3,200 children have closed, and officials said 11 other programs would be shut by week’s end if federal funding isn’t restored or other sources found.
Social Security and Medicare payments are continuing, but there are fewer recertification and initial surveys for Medicare providers that will be completed. This puts beneficiaries at risk of quality of care deficiencies.
And the claims backlog at the Veterans Affairs Department will pile up even more, getting farther behind each day the government remains close
NEWS RELEASE
Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013
CONTACT
Mark Kimble
Communications Director
Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District
mark.kimble@mail.house.gov
(520) 881-3588 or (520) 904-5876