Arizona's Republican congressional delegation is intensifying pressure on the state's 2 U.S. senators to support a funding bill that would reopen the federal government.
Representative Eli Crane emphasized the situation on social media, commenting that "Senators Kelly and Gallego could provide two of the five votes needed to end the government shutdown. All they have to do is defy Chuck Schumer."
Representative Juan Ciscomani announced that Arizona's House Republicans sent a formal letter to Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
On social media, Ciscomani shared that "Arizona's House Republicans are united — and we're calling on Arizona's Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego to stop playing politics and prioritize Arizonans."
The Letter
The letter, signed by Representatives Juan Ciscomani, Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, Paul Gosar, David Schweikert, and Abe Hamadeh, emphasizes that both senators have previously supported similar funding measures.
"We write today with incredible urgency regarding the ongoing government shutdown," the letter begins, noting that this week marks the fifth opportunity for the senators to support H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act.
All six House Republicans voted for the seven-week clean continuing resolution when it passed the House on September 19.
The representatives argue that such resolutions without partisan policy additions have previously received bipartisan support, including from Kelly and Gallego themselves.
The letter highlights Arizona's significant federal presence, including ten military installations, over 34,000 federal civilian employees, approximately 20,000 active-duty service members, over 450,000 veterans, and numerous other federal entities.
"Senate Democrats, yourselves included, are making unrelated policy demands that have nothing to do with government funding," the letter argues. "It is far past time to stop holding Arizonans hostage and to put the American people first."
Impact on Arizonans
The representatives explained how the shutdown affects everyday Arizonans, arguing that entrepreneurs cannot access small business loans, families relying on WIC face uncertainty about grocery assistance, and junior enlisted service members don't know when their paychecks will arrive.
In addition, thousands of federal workers continue working without knowing when they'll be paid.
"This shutdown was not necessary — but it's already happened," the letter concludes. "Now is the time to do the right thing and vote to reopen our government."
