This week I came across this headline, John:

Politico: ‘Don't even bother dealing with them,’ Trump says of Democrats’ shutdown demands

To me, this is one of the most un-American things Donald Trump has ever said and we just saw his Republican followers in Congress do exactly that.

People want their government to work, to listen, and to solve problems. Democrats have proposed real solutions that address rising health care costs, which Republicans rejected, instead choosing to risk a government shutdown.

Abraham Lincoln warned us long ago that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” When one party treats division as a strategy, the consequences fall on families who have no say in the political games being played.

Every time Congress faces the responsibility of funding the government, we arrive at the same cliff. Instead of focusing on keeping the lights on, too many of my Republican colleagues reach for brinkmanship. They threaten a shutdown, gambling with people’s jobs and livelihoods in order to extract political concessions.

The result is not abstract. It means federal workers across the country — including in Delaware — worrying about how to cover bills if they are furloughed. It means families anxious about losing access to food assistance. It means seniors uncertain about whether their Social Security checks will arrive on time.

There are moments when the refusal to cooperate feels overwhelming. But I cannot walk away from the hope of bipartisanship. Our democracy only functions when we keep faith with one another, even in difficult times. I will continue to press forward, to lift up the voices of Delawareans, and to work for budgets that reflect their needs and values.

I believe deeply that our government belongs to all of us, not to a single party, not to the loudest voices, but to the American people. That is worth defending, even when the path is hard and I hope you will continue to stand with me in this fight.

With gratitude,

Chris