Chicago, IL — The Republican government shutdown is in its second day, and families in Illinois are already feeling the strain. More than 45,000 workers in the Chicagoland region are out of a paycheck—including nearly 1,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees who help ensure our water and air are clean. Republicans’ shutdown is also expected to disrupt travel operations and federal courthouses in Illinois. Essential workers are forced to report to work without pay, hitting our local economy directly. In response, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez said the following:
“Donald Trump and Illinois congressional Republicans proved that they don’t care about working families by shutting down the government this week. This shutdown isn’t just politics in Washington – it’s paychecks, food, and housing for families in Illinois. At a time when families are already living paycheck to paycheck in Trump’s economy with skyrocketing costs, his threat to fire even more workers is plain cruel.”
Key excerpts from Daily Herald: ‘Many live paycheck to paycheck’: Shutdown will impact local workers, airports and services, stakeholders say
By Marni Pyke
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“We’re extremely worried about the loss in pay and so much of our good work protecting air and water, making sure everyone’s water is clean — all of that will not be done,” Cantello said Tuesday. For example, pollution inspections will be suspended, she noted.
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“Every day that passes, there’s more damage to the system. Not only for those who are furloughed and the processes they handle like hiring (or) the modernization of the FAA system, but it puts an extraordinary amount of pressure on those folks coming to work without a paycheck,” added Tajer, a commercial pilot from Arlington Heights.
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“If people can’t afford to pay their health care and their groceries — their likelihood of becoming homeless is higher,” said April Redzic, president of Wheaton-based DuPage PADS, which works to end homelessness.
