PHOENIX – Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Living United for Change (LUCHA) brought together Arizona State Representative Oscar De Los Santos and leading labor unions at the Arizona State Capitol to underscore the devastating impacts of the ongoing Republican government shutdown on Arizona families.
“Every day this Republican shutdown drags on, Arizona families pay the price,” said Rep. Ansari. “Federal workers go without pay and critical programs are thrown into chaos–all because Republicans refuse to come to the table on a deal to protect the healthcare of their own constituents. I’m proud that we stood united today to send a clear message that Arizonans reject these cruel cuts. And in Congress, I’ll continue to fight to lower costs and protect working families.”
“Republicans own this shutdown, and let’s be clear about what it means: they don’t care about your health, your family, or whether you can keep a roof over your head. They only care about making billionaires richer,” said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director of Living United for Change in Arizona. They will strip your family of healthcare, shut down your hospital, starve your child’s school, and still look you in the eye and tell you they’re fighting for you. That is the moral rot of Trump’s Republican Party. A government that takes away your healthcare to give billionaires a tax break is a government in moral collapse.”
“The Congressional Republican shutdown is no accident. It’s a reckless, cruel and avoidable choice,” said State Representative Oscar De Los Santos. “Arizona House Democrats delivered free school meals for public school students. But now, the Republican shutdown threatens to take food off the tables of hardworking families. All because Republicans would rather play games than govern.”
“Arizona’s students and educators deserve better than the constant chaos from this administration,” said Marisol Garcia, President of the Arizona Education Association. “An extended shutdown puts essential programs at risk, from Head Start and family nutrition services to the Impact Aid that supports military and Native American students. Students can’t learn and educators can’t teach when the ground is constantly shifting beneath us. This shutdown and the political games that caused it need to end.”
See what Arizona leaders are saying below:
“For AFSCME members, this shutdown is a direct threat to our jobs and the public services we provide. States, cities and towns are already facing budget shortfalls and now will lose even more federal funding,” said Jason Henley AFSCME AZ Local 2384 President.
“Make no mistake that this shutdown is the fault of our Republican leaders and because of their actions real families will suffer. Our own Congressmen Schweikert and Ciscomani abandoned Arizonans — stripping families and those most vulnerable of the ability to access critical health care, all for massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans and corporations,” said Andrea Moreno, Executive Director of Honest Arizona.
“All of the political uncertainty coming out of Washington has been causing hardworking Arizonans to lose their jobs. From the federal funding cuts to an increase in prices due to tariffs, public and private development has slowed. We need our elected officials in Washington to get back to work and end this shutdown, so our members can continue to build Arizona and provide for their families,” said Jason Sangster, Business Manager of Ironworkers Local 75.
“Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council represents over 20,000 hard working Arizonans and the chaos coming out of Washington continues to cost Arizona thousands of good-paying jobs. We need our federal officials to end this shutdown before more of our members lose their jobs,” said Michael Vazquez, Executive Director of Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council.
“The Trump administration has turned its back on the very people it swore to protect. This shutdown is more than just a political maneuver: it’s a direct attack on American and Arizona families who are already stretched thin. In just a matter of months, utility bills have gone up by 10%, families are paying more at the grocery store, and essential services that help people make ends meet are being cut off when they are needed most. At the same time, disaster response and relief are being put at risk, leaving communities unprepared for extreme weather and other emergencies. Arizonans are being forced to carry a burden that should never have been placed on them. Instead of standing with working people, the Trump administration has chosen to protect billionaires and special interests. That is not only a failure of leadership, it is a dangerous lack of vision for the future of our country,” said Christian Avila, Regional Director of Poder Latinx.
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