Dear neighbor, 

Extreme MAGA Republicans are on a catastrophic path to a government shutdown. If you recall, this past summer President Biden negotiated a deal with Congress to fund the government, ensure the United States could pay its bills and protect the economy from disaster. Both the Senate and the House passed this deal on a bipartisan basis. Now, Speaker McCarthy is going back on that deal to fund the government and can’t give a good reason as to why. If House Republicans continue this political stunt and shut down our government, American families will suffer, essential government services will be interrupted, small businesses will be hurt, and our national security will be weakened. 

To fully explain what’s at stake, I want to share just a few of the impacts of the previous government shutdown caused by Republican extremists. The five-week shutdown that began in 2018 and continued into 2019 reduced our economic output by $11 billion in the following six months, including $3 billion that our economy never regained. During the shutdown, about 380,000 federal workers were furloughed, and another 420,000 reported to work but were not paid. Some TSA agents and some air traffic controllers did not report to work, causing major delays at airports. This shutdown also delayed over $2 billion in loans to small businesses, causing difficulties for business owners across the country. The American people simply can’t afford to pay this price for the extreme MAGA agenda.  

House Democrats will continue our work to avoid a partisan shutdown and deliver lower costs, good jobs, and safer communities for American families.  

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: I was pleased to join House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) at this week’s Democratic leadership press conference. We remain opposed to extreme MAGA Republican funding cuts and will continue fighting on behalf of everyday Americans. 

NOT A NORMAL TOURIST VISIT: January 6 was a violent attack on our nation’s Capitol carried out by individuals who believed they were doing the bidding of former President Donald Trump. That is a fact, no matter what extreme MAGA conspiracy theorists might say. When Attorney General Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee this week, I took the opportunity to highlight what happened that fateful day happened at the hands of Trump supporters. In fact, over 1,100 people have been charged in connection with their actions on January 6. Check out my full exchange with Attorney General Garland below.

Here’s what else I worked on in Washington this week:

• Checked my voter registration on National Voter Registration Day! Registering to vote is easy, quick and free. To register or update your voter information, visit vote.gov. 
• Joined my House Democrat colleagues in reintroducing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect the right to vote and strengthen our democracy. 
• Asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo about the Commerce Department’s view on rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technology and the need for responsible regulation.  
• Spoke with the Washington Post about how we can harness the powers of AI in the workplace. 
• Met with Olympic and Paralympic athletes to discuss the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles! I’m so excited to see them represent our country our country on the world stage. 

CALLING ALL JETSETTERS: If you’re planning to travel abroad, don’t forget to check your passport’s expiration date! Passports that will expire within a year should be renewed. Please reach out to my Los Angeles office if you or your family need assistance with passport renewal. The State Department HIGHLY RECOMMENDS that you check your passport and ensure that it is current, or renew it before you plan an international trip. 

Due to a higher volume of requests across the country, the State Department’s standard passport processing times are now 10 to 13 weeks, while expedited processing time is seven to nine weeks. If you need to apply for a new passport in person, please click here. If you have a passport that will expire within six months and need to renew it via mail, or if you need to correct or change your current passport, please click here. If you’ve already applied for a new or renewed passport and would like to check the status of your request, please click here.   

For more information on my work in Congress, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have any questions or concerns, please call my D.C. office at (202) 225-3976 or my Los Angeles district office at (323) 651-1040.    

I look forward to updating you again soon.  

Sincerely,   

Ted W. Lieu

Member of Congress