EC from DC - September 27, 2013

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President Obama recently visited our area to talk about the improving economy, the importance of growing the middle class, and the looming issue of a government shutdown. I believe the dysfunction in Washington and the ideological demands we are hearing, are threatening to take this nation down a very dangerous and partisan path. A government shutdown will hurt our economy, threaten jobs, and leave our families and our country with less security, certainty, and stability. Put more simply, it's ridiculous.

We have seen the specter of these threats loom large over the last years—but now it seems the prospect may be all too real. As of this writing, Congress is evaluating a number of options, each one worse than the last. On Tuesday, October 1, our current Continuing Resolution to fund the government will expire.

As the President spoke to the employees of the Ford Stamping Plant recently, he explained again, what we already know. A government shutdown will impact them, and all of us. It will mean that many of our agencies will shut their doors, hurting seniors, families, businesses, and children. From the Centers for Disease Control, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the National Park Service, to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the State Department, and more -- many offices will be almost entirely closed. That means public servants will suffer and Americans who depend on their service will too. According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Fifth District is home to 44,371 government workers. They are not the only ones who will be impacted, but their sacrifices will be the most severe. Further, a shutdown will actually cost the government and the taxpayer money, hinder the economy, waste billions of dollars in federal funds and scare the markets. Even now, Congress's indecision is already causing a slowdown in normal operations for agencies and businesses. The Office of Management and Budget estimated in 1996 that the two closures in that fiscal year, which lasted 26 days total, cost the government $1.4 billion, or roughly $2.1 billion in today's dollars.

I have spoken with constituents throughout Missouri's Fifth District, Republicans and Democrats, and virtually everyone agrees. This is no way to run a government. A CBS poll out this week says 80 percent of Americans agree it is not appropriate to threaten shutdown to achieve goals during budget negotiations, including 75 percent of Republicans.

We have put forth a responsible, balanced alternative, authored by Budget Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen, to fund the government and end the devastating, across-the-board cuts of the sequester. It contains a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases in order to reduce the deficit in a responsible way. I am certainly open to debating the budget, our policy priorities, and how we should best serve our constituents. I am not, however, a believer in shutting down the entire government simply because my "side" cannot get what we want.

As if a government shutdown wasn't bad enough, some in Congress are determined to hold the full faith and credit of the United States hostage to their radical agenda. The full faith and credit of the United States is non-negotiable. Refusing to raise the debt ceiling poses a cataclysmic danger to the stability of our markets and the economic security of our middle class. As Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated last week: "A government shutdown, and perhaps even more so a failure to raise the debt limit, could have very serious consequences for the financial markets and for the economy…"

The President urged local workers to speak out and let elected officials know that this is not the answer. While no one knows with certainty the full extent of the damage to the economy if the U.S. defaults on its debts, the cost to American families will be significant with:

• Higher interest rates for mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and credit cards. [JEC]

• Higher interest rates and less access to business loans needed to finance payrolls, build inventories, or invest in equipment & construction. [JEC]

• Families' retirement savings in 401(k)s dropping as the stock market plummets. [ABC News]

• 3.4 million veterans not receiving disability benefits. [JEC]

• 10 million Americans not receiving their Social Security check on time in just the first week. [BPC]

• Drug reimbursements under Medicare stopping, and doctors and hospitals not getting paid. [CNN]

The American people have seen enough. We, here in Missouri's Fifth District, have had enough. Our country cannot afford another manufactured crisis. It's time for us to honor America's commitments, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class.

I have often shared with you the Department of Veterans Affairs' focus on mental health care. It can be very difficult for veterans to ask for help, sometimes instead opting to silently battle the devastating, yet invisible, wounds of war. The VA is working to raise public awareness about the issue of suicide, to expand access to mental health care service for veterans, and to let them, and their families know, there is help available. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are two of the most common mental illnesses they report seeing when treating those who have so bravely served our country.

PTSD:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur after a traumatic event or experience.

• Symptoms can start immediately or may not appear for years.

• There are four types of symptoms of PTSD – reliving the event, avoiding situations that remind a person of the event, negative changes in feelings toward yourself or others, and/or hyperarousal.

• Symptoms can differ from person to person.

There is a Veterans Crisis Line, online chat and text-messaging services -- which all offer free, confidential support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to Veterans, their families and friends. Please click on the link which may be of interest to you. You can also call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 to speak with someone directly.

I believe understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatments for mental illness are important as we work to eliminate the problems and the stigma that so often, and tragically, is associated with it.

There are so many great organizations and businesses in Missouri's Fifth District, where our local people are doing the hard work of taking care of those in need. I recently toured the Crittenton Children's Center in Kansas City to get an in-depth look at new programs and procedures underway. This is certainly not the first time I have been to Crittenton, but I like to visit there, and elsewhere, when I am home to make sure I am in touch with the very latest. During this visit we learned more about the Head Start Trauma Smart model and the expansion underway throughout the state. Experts shared information and data with me suggesting that this program is providing a tremendous advantage to young kids and their families facing such a trauma. It was a nice opportunity to get the latest snapshot of the services provided and the ongoing education, research, and therapies available there. And it was wonderful to meet with such a dedicated and talented staff.

When it comes to the United States Postal Service, I believe we need to inject a little commonsense to this discussion of critical cuts. The USPS is a part of our nation's fabric. It is a job creator and a crucial cog in the wheel of our economy. For generations, we have depended on the postal service for many things and in many ways. And certainly there is a rich history of its importance right here in Missouri.

The changing times and financial struggles, indeed, make it necessary for reform. But I don't believe deep cuts, like ending Saturday delivery, are the way to go. People throughout Missouri's Fifth District, and the entire country, depend on Saturday service. Many elderly people, for instance, in my district, would face extreme hardship if prescriptions are delivered in a timely fashion. I don't think the elimination of Saturday service is necessary, nor do I believe it would do much to solve the Postal Service's budget deficit. I do think it would hurt more of my constituents in rural or low-income areas, than elsewhere.

There are numerous alternatives we could, and should, explore before taking a machete to this institution. There is a report from the Greeting Card Association (GCA) called: "A Commonsense Solution For The Postal Service" that contains more than 100 proposals for reform. These are proposals that would reportedly keep us from facing higher rates without cutting service. These proposals come from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports, and could be implemented by the Postal Service immediately.

In the end, this is more than a Postal Service issue -- this is an economic and jobs issue. There are more than 8 million jobs, or six percent of all U.S. jobs, that depend on the mailing industry and support $1.3 trillion in sales revenue. The need for a strong and robust Postal Service and the connection to a growing economy is as clear today as it was for Ben Franklin, our nation's first Postmaster General.

Furthermore, in a political climate marked by partisan gridlock and lack of compromise, there is bipartisan agreement on reforming this important institution. I've been happy to work across the aisle with Congressman Sam Graves, a fellow Missourian, on legislation to put the Postal Service on more sound fiscal footing. This needs to be done, while at the same time, preserving its universal service, affordable prices and much-needed jobs. It is my hope that as the debate continues to unfold in Washington, more lawmakers will come together in a bipartisan way and support commonsense solutions for the Postal Service.

Although I consciously and tenaciously try to avoid injecting partisan and religious manifestos into my civility messages to you, I am after all, an ordained United Methodist Minister. So – sometimes I guess I just can't help it.

Considering my background and thought process, I believe that God is pulling for us, all of us, each and every day. And yes, despite the dysfunction, bickering, and lack of action in Washington DC, I believe God is pulling for the Members of Congress to come together and do our jobs. I can't help but wonder though, considering what we have done as elected officials to earn our 13% approval rating from constituents here on Earth, what we must be putting our maker through in heaven.