Was a Shutdown Necessary? Valley Lawmakers Jump Into the Debate

With the U.S. government closed for business and the federal budget held up in the U.S. Senate, local lawmakers await the call to return to Washington D.C. to approve any changes that may come out of negotiations.

Republican representatives David Valadao, R-Hanford, and Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, said congressional Democrats’ refusal to negotiate caused the shutdown. Lawmakers from the left, including Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and Adam Gray, D-Merced, say health care cuts in the Republican budget will hurt Valley families.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ordered the House of Representatives out of session likely until Tuesday of next week, Costa told GV Wire while he was in Fresno on Wednesday.

Getting the budget approved will require both parties to sit down and talk about the most import