As Shutdown Hurts Montana Families, Daines and Gianforte Refuse to Support Opening the Government
Helena—As the government shutdown careens toward its 22nd day, “Shutdown” Steve Daines and multimillionaire Greg Gianforte refuse to support bipartisan bills to reopen the government and provide relief for Montana families.
“Montanans across our state are hurting because of this pointless government shutdown, but ‘Shutdown’ Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte refuse to support bipartisan bills to end the crisis,” said Monica Lindeen, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. “It’s not surprising that two multimillionaires don’t understand the importance of a regular paycheck to Montana families, but it’s disgraceful they won’t do their jobs and reopen the government.”
In the past two weeks, Gianforte has repeatedly voted against bills that would restart critical services and put government employees in Montana back to work. Meanwhile, Daines has followed the marching orders of his DC political bosses and refused to call for a vote on bipartisan legislation that would end the impasse.
But back in Montana, the effects of the shutdown are becoming clearer by the day:
Billings Gazette: Montana families feel financial strain as government shutdown drags on
According to an analysis by the Washington Post, Montana has one of the highest shares of workers affected by the shutdown, with an estimated 7,200 workers temporarily furloughed or working without pay.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Government shutdown impacting Yellowstone-area businesses
Gardiner has been hit particularly hard, as a community that houses many of the Yellowstone National Park employees who have been without work or have been working without pay for 19 days amid the government shutdown. A park spokeswoman said between 225 and 250 employees have been furloughed.
The Missoulian: Federal employees in Missoula gear up for extended shutdown
Doors remain locked and parking lots all but deserted at U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices at Fort Missoula. The Missoula Food Bank is reaching out to furloughed employees or those working without pay and casting a wary eye to February, when funding for food stamps could be depleted if the shutdown lingers that long.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Tough snowpack conditions in parts of southwestern Montana
A dozen snow measurement sites weren’t used in this month’s report because of the federal government shutdown…Of the ones not recorded, four were in Yellowstone National Park. One was on the upper Gallatin, and it was the first time in 80 years that a Jan. 1 measurement wasn’t taken from that site.
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