LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Senators need to vote to open government

Why are New Mexico’s U.S. senators reluctant to end the government shutdown? The House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR) to continue government funding — without attaching new partisan demands on any spending line. This nonpartisan measure was designed to maintain government services while allowing Congress to negotiate full-year appropriations through regular order.

The Senate, however, has stalled. Despite the urgency, most Senate Democrats have repeatedly voted against the House’s CR. Instead, Democratic leadership has proposed a counter-resolution that includes approximately $1.5 trillion in added spending — far beyond current funding levels.

Among the Democrats’ proposed additions for more spending levels are the following items:

• Climate resilience in Honduras: $24.6 million.

• Civic engagement in Zimbabwe: $13.4 million.

• LGBTQI+ democracy grants in the Western Balkans: $3.9 million.

• Desert locust risk reduction in the Horn of Africa: $2.9 million.

• Feminist democratic principles in Africa: $2 million.

Really? Are these kinds of issues important enough to shut down the government? New Mexico’s Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján have so far aligned with party leadership rather than supporting the bipartisan CR that would reopen the government and resume normal legislative negotiations. Their reluctance to break ranks is disappointing.

I urge our senators to rise above partisan politics and act in the public’s interest. Support the clean CR. Let the government continue its work. And let the debates over new spending happen through the proper appropriations process instead of in the shadow of a shutdown. Sens. Heinrich and Luján have an opportunity to be stalwarts by voting in favor of the nonpartisan CR.

George Wright

Corrales