Voto Latino: Republican Shutdown Endangers Health Care, Working Families, and Federal Employees

Washington, D.C. — Today, the federal government shut down after the Senate failed to reach a funding deal. In response, Voto Latino President and Co-Founder María Teresa Kumar issued the following statement:

“This shutdown was entirely avoidable. Republicans currently control the House, the Senate, and the White House. Yet instead of working toward a responsible solution, they walked away from negotiations, jeopardizing the health and stability of millions of Americans.

Republican lawmakers are clinging to a budget that strips health care from millions of working families and drives up costs. As families across the country grapple with rising expenses, a government shutdown is simply unsustainable.

For 26 million Latinos, Medicaid is a lifeline. By refusing to protect this vital program, Republican lawmakers are threatening the health of working families and forcing millions to live with greater uncertainty. 

The consequences are immediate and devastating. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees — many of them Latino, Black, people of color — will be forced to keep working without knowing when their next paycheck will come. These are public servants who keep our government functioning, from securing our airports to processing Social Security checks, and they are now caught in the crossfire of partisan gamesmanship. 

The damage extends far beyond Washington: Latino families already struggling with rising housing and food costs will be forced to stretch every dollar while politicians play with their livelihoods. Budgets are about priorities, and Republicans have made theirs clear: politics over people.

This moment underscores why elections matter. Working families deserve leaders who will protect their paychecks, defend their health care, and prioritize their well-being over partisan politics. Voto Latino is committed to making that happen — by registering, educating, and mobilizing our community to demand better and to elect leaders who will govern responsibly for the people they serve.”

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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.