U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader, all Oregon Democrats, visited furloughed air traffic controllers and TSA staff at Portland International Airport.
The Senate and House both unanimously passed bills Friday that would fund the government for three weeks while lawmakers discuss immigration issues that led to the shutdown.
Schrader said he hoped they could negotiate boarder security issues in good faith now that the shutdown has ended.
Bonamici thanked federal workers and said the shutdown should never have happened in the first place.
“We need a long-term solution to make sure this never happens again,” she said.
Asked if she’d support money for President Trump’s wall, she said other things are needed.
“What we need in many places is more staff, more personnel, technology. That’s the conversation we need to have. We need to be spending tax payer dollars, wisely and effectively,” Bonamici said. “We’re going to be making our border security decisions on facts, not on fear.”
Blumenauer was not hopeful a long-term solution could be reached in three weeks.
“Trying to predict what Donald Trump will do is a dicey proposition,” he said.
Blumenauer called the shutdown a created crisis that a $5.7 billion wall won’t fix.
On Twitter, Oregon Republican Rep. Greg Walden said the tentative agreement is welcome news for federal employees and their families in Oregon who have been hurt by this partial shutdown.
He said he hoped Congress can come together with the president on long-term bipartisan solutions.
Copyright 2019 Oregon Public Broadcasting
