Lombardo calls on Rosen to help reopen the federal government

Gov. Joe Lombardo on Wednesday called on Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., to help reopen the federal government as the shutdown entered its fourth week.

“I’m writing to express my concern about the ongoing federal government shutdown and its growing impact on Nevada families, businesses, and communities,” Lombardo, a Republican, said in a letter to the senator.

“Our state is special in our ability to work collaboratively to solve problems and put people above politics,” he wrote. “I know you share my commitment to upholding that precedent, and I’m confident that through cooperation and goodwill, we can restore stability and move forward together.”

Meanwhile, Rosen countered that Lombardo should petition Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to end the stalemate, being that they hold the White House and a majority in Congress.

“I want this government shutdown to end, which is why I urge Governor Lombardo to push Donald Trump and his own party in Washington to work in a bipartisan way to reopen the government and prevent a massive spike in health care costs for Nevadans,” Rosen said in a statement.

Disagreements in Washington, D.C., have centered around Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, which Democrats say will lead to higher health insurance premiums for recipients. Among other demands, Democrats want those subsidies extended.

Rosen said that about 40,000 Nevadans are in danger of losing health insurance.

SNAP beneficiaries at risk of losing benefits

Lombardo said that thousands of Nevada federal workers were facing missed paychecks.

He noted that funding for the Supplemental Assistance Program was set to run out at the end of the month, which could affect nearly 500,000 Nevadans.

Lombardo said that “at my direction,” state agencies were working to provide food bank assistance for SNAP beneficiaries.

“But reaching every Nevadan in need of nutrition assistance, particularly in our rural communities, is a challenge,” he added.

This month, Nevada lawmakers approved $7.3 million in emergency state funding to keep funding the state’s Women, Infants &Children program through the end of November, if necessary.

The program, commonly known as WIC, provides nutrition to those vulnerable populations.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., has broken with Democrats in supporting bipartisan efforts to reopen the government.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited the Las Vegas Valley on Monday to announce that nearly 70 federal employees at the agency tasked with overseeing and modernizing the nuclear stockpile in Nevada had been furloughed.

He said the closure could soon affect the more than 3,000 contractors at the Nevada National Security Sites.

Wright complimented Cortez Masto and urged Rosen to cross party lines.

In response, Cortez Masto’s office wrote: “Threatening further layoffs and furloughs is unnecessary and dangerous.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.