Dear [firstname]

I understand that the ongoing government shutdown has created significant frustration and uncertainty. Over the past nine days, my office has heard from many concerned constituents. I want to take a moment to address some of the most common questions we’ve received and share how my team and I can continue supporting you during this time.

For the full list of FAQs, please visit my website.

On September 19, the House passed a straightforward funding extension to keep the government open. It didn’t include any partisan riders or new spending—it simply would have extended current funding levels through November 21 so Congress could finish up the appropriations process.

In the Senate, most legislation requires 60 votes to advance, meaning both parties must work together. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats blocked this funding extension and are now holding essential government operations hostage over unrelated partisan demands. This decision wastes taxpayer dollars, puts critical programs at risk, and harms families across the country for political gain.

Senate Democrats can choose to reopen the government at any time. So far, however, the majority have voted against the funding extension seven times.

Every year, Congress is required to pass 12 appropriations bills by October 1 to fund the federal government. When that deadline isn’t met, Congress can pass a Continuing Resolution, or CR, to keep the government open while work continues on the remaining bills.

The appropriations process is time-consuming and requires a lot of debate, meaning it usually takes a long time. In fact, Congress hasn’t completed all 12 appropriations bills without needing a CR since 1997. As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I worked hard this year to move all 12 bills forward before the deadline to ensure the government is funded in a responsible way. So far, the House and Senate have entered conference on three of the twelve bills. This is the step where members from both chambers work together to resolve differences between their versions before sending the final product to the President’s desk. That work is ongoing.

Unfortunately, progress has now stalled because Senate Democrats rejected the bipartisan CR. Their decision has delayed the process and prevented Congress from completing its work to fully fund the government.

Government shutdowns have real consequences for families, farmers, and small businesses across the Central Valley. During a shutdown, critical federal programs that people rely on—from food safety inspections to WIC food assistance—could be delayed or disrupted. Homebuyers and small businesses won’t be able to get federal loans, passport processing slows, people traveling might see delays, and certain services our veterans and their families rely on will stop.

Even though the government is shut down, my office is still open and ready to assist. While some agencies will pause or delay processing, we can continue opening cases, submitting paperwork, and asking them for updates.

During a government shutdown, most VA services remain operational. VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers stay open to provide care. Benefits such as disability compensation, pensions, education assistance and housing benefits continue to be processed and paid. Critical programs including suicide prevention, homelessness support, caregiver assistance, and the Veterans Crisis Line also remain active to ensure care for veterans and their families.

However, some VA services are temporarily paused. Transition assistance and career counseling programs have stopped, and certain call centers, such as the VA’s GI Bill and National Cemetery Applicant Assistance hotlines, are closed. VA regional benefit offices are also closed, and outreach activities such as social media updates, newsletters, and coordination with community partners are suspended. Most importantly, our active-duty service members, who should never have to worry about providing for their families, will miss their paychecks if the shutdown continues past October 15.

Trying to get an answer from a federal agency can often be a time-consuming and frustrating process. If you ever need help navigating a federal agency, you can visit my website here or call my Hanford office at (559) 460-6070. My team is ready to assist you!

Tratar de obtener una respuesta de una agencia federal a menudo puede ser un proceso frustrante y que requiere mucho tiempo. Si alguna vez necesita ayuda con una agencia federal, puede visitar mi sitio de web aquí o llamar a mi oficina de Hanford al (559) 460-6070. ¡Mi equipo está listo para ayudarte!

Do you have a question about my position on an issue? How the Congress operates? My thoughts on the news of the day?

Send your first name, town, and question to AskDavid@mail.house.gov and I might answer yours right here in one of my weekly newsletters. Make sure to subscribe to my weekly email updates to see if your question was answered!

If you want to share your opinion with me on issues of importance, you can always contact me on my website.

Did you know you can now sign up for texts from my office to stay up to date on my work in Washington D.C.? To sign up to receive updates from me directly to your phone, just text VALADAO to (559) 387-4346 and you will be automatically subscribed. You can also sign up for text alerts using this form here.  

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