Arizona's congressional delegation is sharply divided as the federal government faces a potential shutdown beginning October 1st, with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other.
Republican congressional candidate Abe Hamadeh placed responsibility solely on Senate Democrats, accusing them of blocking a clean spending bill passed by House Republicans.
"Democrats want to prioritize illegal immigrants over Americans and provide free healthcare to them and promote their transgender woke ideology," Abe Hamadeh shared on social media. "Republicans passed the continuing resolution to keep the government open and funded through November 21. The Senate did not pass it, resulting in a potential shutdown."
Hamadeh pointed to past statements from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, warning about the consequences of a shutdown, and accusing him of "changing his tune" now that Republicans control the agenda under President Donald Trump.
Contrasting Perspective
Democratic Representative Greg Stanton offered a different perspective, noting that Republicans control both Congress and the White House but lack the votes to pass funding legislation on their own.
"Democrats want to keep government open," he argues. "Right now, despite controlling Congress and the White House, Republicans don't have the votes to do it alone, so they need Democratic support to get it done."
Arizona Impact
Regardless of who's responsible, Arizonans could face significant disruptions if the government shuts down. According to information provided by Stanton's office:
- Service members would continue working without pay.
- Most VA medical services would continue, but some benefits processing could be delayed.
- Benefit payments should continue; however, new claims may experience delays.
- WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) funding could run out quickly; SNAP benefits may be affected in the event of a prolonged shutdown.
- The Small Business Administration would stop processing loan applications.
- FHA (Federal Housing Administration) would halt approval of housing loan applications.
- TSA and air traffic controllers would work without pay; national parks may have limited services.
Both Hamadeh and Stanton emphasized their offices would remain open to assist constituents navigating federal agency issues during any shutdown.
The standoff continues as the October 1 deadline approaches.
