IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 1, 2025

Ben Proto, Chair
[email protected]
 

Government Shutdown: A Self-Inflicted Crisis by Senators Murphy & Blumenthal

Democrats put Politics over People

Middletown, CT — The Democrat’s federal government shutdown is not an unavoidable tragedy. it is a political choice. And the responsibility lies squarely with U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard “Dick” Blumenthal, and the Democrat Party. It takes 60 votes to pass legislation in the U.S. Senate, which means their refusal to negotiate in good faith, and their insistence on attaching controversial provisions instead of simply keeping the government open, has forced a harmful shutdown that will hurt Connecticut families, workers, our communities, and not-for profit institutions. 

When Democrats were in the majority, Senator Murphy himself warned of the dangers of a shutdown: “there’s certainly a risk that our VA facilities could close. There is a risk that Social Security offices would stop fielding phone calls. In the past, our Head Start centers have not been deemed essential, and there have been thousands of children who no longer have a place to go for school in the morning.” Because of his (in)action, he has proven those risk to be real.

In 2013, Senator Blumenthal said, in response to a possible government shutdown: “These issues are real and tangible. The harm is now and urgent. And I urge my colleagues to come together and resist the pressures and demonstrate the kinds of profiles in courage that we've seen on both sides of the aisle, standing strong, speaking out, resisting partisanship, coming together for the good of the country.” 

Both men once said, “We can and should avoid a shutdown.” Yet when the moment came to prevent disaster, they chose politics over people.

“Democrats, including Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, have decided to stop SNAP payments to low-income children, cut off veterans from VA health care, and take paychecks away from federal employees — all while acting like children holding their breath until they get their way. And let’s be clear — they will keep their own paychecks while Connecticut workers suffer,” said Republican Chairman Ben Proto.

“If you are traveling over the next few days, thank the TSA agent who is working without pay to keep you safe. If you see a member of our military at the coffee shop, buy them a coffee, they are not getting paid to defend our country. If you see a mom at the grocery store struggling to pay for food for her children, offer to help herm, because Senators Blumenthal and Murphy have left her high and dry while they play political games,” Proto continued.

“If Senators Murphy and Blumenthal truly believed that a shutdown must be avoided, then they should act like it. Support the clean, 24-page Continuing Resolution that will keep the government open for the next two months, ensure children have food, federal employees can pay their bills, and that our military, law enforcement, and TSA agents are paid while they protect us.”

“This shutdown is on you, Senators, and on your party,” Proto said. “You are the ones playing with people’s lives and livelihoods. You are more concerned with political rhetoric than with actually helping the American people. Once again, the Democrat Party has failed.”

“In short, Senators — stop running around the country raising money for your next campaign, stop putting hardworking Americans at risk. 

“Remember your words from 2018 Senator Blumenthal when a government shutdown was imminent, ‘Congress must do its job’. Senators, it really should not be this hard” concluded Proto.

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