Washington, D.C.) – The Washington-created government shutdown is entering its third week and families of South Jersey and the United States are feeling its effects in a devastating way. Federal workers, Coast Guard personnel, contractors, and their families are worried about getting paid on time to pay the mortgage and other bills. In addition, national security is compromised as the Coast Guard is the only service of the United States Armed Forces which remains unfunded. On the shutdown Congressman Jeff Van Drew said, “It is unacceptable for the men and women who protect us to be treated like second class citizens over partisan bickering. We need to re-open our government. This is shameful.”

To keep American’s secure and ensure that our brave men and women in the Coast Guard are  able to pay their bills on time, Congressman Jeff Van Drew today introduced legislation to fund the United States Coast Guard for fiscal year 2019. Van Drew will also offer legislation to fund the Federal Aviation Administration which ensures the safety of our skies, is integral to our modern economy and serves as a hub of aviation innovation. “While I would prefer that we end this unnecessary shutdown across all departments and get our country up and running again, we cannot afford to play politics with the safety of our citizens and national security”, said Van Drew. “Funding the Coast Guard is the responsible thing to do as it would give our leaders more time to negotiate and make our military whole again.”

On his first day in office, Congressman Van Drew voted on a compromise package of funding bills to end the shutdown. The House of Representatives passed the funding package in a bipartisan manner. The Republican-led U.S. Senate now needs to take up the House’s funding package which is nearly identical to one that the Senate supported by a vote of 92-6 last year.

The South Jersey community has come together to help the people and families affected. The Seaville Fire Company and Wildwood American Legion Post 184 are accepting donations of non-perishable foods, diapers, baby food, and money to help aid the federal employees, including the Coast Guard and employees of the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, that are affected by the shutdown. Additionally, Barbara Cosmo, a former Coast Guard wife and community member, is doing all she can to bring her community together and promote donations. “This is a humanitarian issue,” says Cosmo, “many of these people are living paycheck to paycheck and they are suffering through no fault of their own.”

Congressman Jeff Van Drew is concerned for his constituents and all those who are affected by the shutdown. “We need to separate these issues. We can address the border crisis without this shutdown and the distressing effects it is having on South Jersey and the United States of America. I have been hearing from the Coast Guard and FAA Tech Center as well as its contractors and families and they are feeling the weight of this shutdown.”, said Congressman Jeff Van Drew, adding “We must come together to end it.”

The Honorable Jeff Van Drew is the representative for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District. His office in Washington, D.C. is in Cannon House Office Building Room 331 and his District office is in Mays Landing. Van Drew was a practicing dentist in Dennis Township for more than 30 years and was previously Senator for New Jersey’s 1st Legislative District. He took office on January 3, 2019.

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