Bay Area Congresswoman Meets With Furloughed Workers, Demands End to Shutdown
SAN MATEO (KPIX) -- With the government shutdown entering its second month, roughly 800,000 federal workers are left wondering when they're going to see their next paycheck.
Now, workers are teaming up with a local politician to call for an end to the shutdown. That politician is Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo).
At a meeting in San Mateo Friday, Speier demanded, "The president has got to become presidential! This shutdown has got to end."
Speier, from California's 14th district, has been very vocal about her opposition to the President Trump and his idea of border security.
"Mr. President, you are not going to get your way on a dumb wall," she insisted. "We will work with you on developing smart border security that actually generates results."
The Congresswoman invited furloughed government workers to share their stories. Workers from NASA Ames and the Environmental Protection Agency said they haven't seen a check since the end of December.
To help federal employees, Lefty's Ballpark Baseball Cafe and Buffet in Fisherman's Wharf is offering free meals until the shutdown ends.
Destinee Cooper, a worker with the EPA, doesn't see an end to the misery.
"The impact of not knowing is just as stressful," Cooper said. "'You don't know where and how this is going to end."
A major announcement is expected from President Trump Saturday afternoon. Congresswoman Speier says she has no idea what to expect from the commander in chief.
Speier says, "You think I know how that brain works? I would hope the President has gotten enough heat and his poll numbers have dropped significantly enough that he owes it to the American people."
A senior administration official told CBS News that Mr. Trump will present what the White House believes could be a deal to end the shutdown -- a deal largely influenced by talks between vice president Mike Pence, senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.
