Cardin: Trump Needs to Let Congress Work on Border Deal Without Interfering

During Friday’s Democratic Weekly Address, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) stated that as Congress tries to iron out a bipartisan border security agreement, “It is important that the president allow Congress to do its work without interference:”

“Hi. I’m Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland.

"Shutting down the federal government is never a good idea. It shakes confidence in our country, rattles the economy, and hurts hard-working employees, as well as millions of individual families and businesses across the country who rely on or interact with some facet of the federal government every day.

"This isn’t hyperbole. We all saw it firsthand.

"According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the recently ended 35-day shutdown reduced economic activity in our country by $11 billion – and nearly $3 billion of that money will never be recovered.

"Consumer confidence also plummeted, by a record 16 points over the last quarter, owing greatly to the shutdown.

"The growing disruption to our air traffic system, increasing public health risks as food inspections ceased, and immense damage to our national park system were only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

"What’s worse, the historic shutdown of our federal government never should have happened.

"In December, the Senate passed a short-term measure to fully fund the government, which included robust funding for border security. The House of Representatives was going to approve it.

"Only then did the president – goaded by conservative talking heads – suddenly slam the brakes and shut down the government to salvage what was left of his medieval wall."

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