Media

Freshman U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is asking Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to "proactively" reach out to student loan providers to encourage special dispensation for federal employees affected by the partial government shutdown.

In a Tuesday letter, Slotkin, a Holly Democrat, urged the U.S. Department of Education to do "everything in its power to ease the burden of student loan payments on all federal employees," including urging loan providers to tell borrowers about refinancing options.

On Jan. 11th, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) released the following statement as the partial government shutdown reached its 21st day, threatening to become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history (the shutdown has now become the longest in history.)

<p>Just over a century ago, Jeannette Rankin of Montana won a seat in the House of Representatives, becoming the first woman ever elected to a federal office. In 1917, 128 years after the first United States Congress convened, she was sworn into its 65th session.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One hundred and two years later, one has become 131 -- the number of women serving in both chambers of the 116th Congress as of this month.</p>

Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) marched with federal employees and shared stories from Oregonians on the House floor to continue her call for an end to the partial government shutdown.

In her remarks on the House floor, Bonamici described how employees at the TSA, federal prisons, Coast Guard, and other federal agencies are being hurt as a direct result of the government shutdown. At the Rally to End the Government Shutdown, which was organized by more than 20 unions, Bonamici stood in solidarity with federal employees.

Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici talks one-on-one with KATU's Angelica Thornton about the on-going government shutdown and why she thinks President Trump shouldn't get any money to build a border wall.

Shutdown impacts over 41,000 active duty Coast Guard members performing missions and protecting the coastal borders

Oregon lawmakers applauded legislation introduced by Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) that would provide funding for the Coast Guard and ensure that active duty and reserve members of the Coast Guard are paid during the government shutdown. Members of the Coast Guard are the only members of the United States military not being paid for their critical and continuing operations.