Far-right extremists in Congress tried to hold our country hostage last weekend.

They have been deliberately trying to force a government shutdown, so they can push through outrageous demands that wouldn’t make it through Congress otherwise.

This weekend, Congress won a 45-day extension, continuing current funding levels for the government until November 17.

But Republicans aren’t stopping. This week, they’re starting votes again to try to cut critical services and inflict real harm on our neighbors.

This spring, Republicans in Congress used the debt ceiling to try to negotiate an extreme pro-starvation agenda, cutting funding for food assistance programs.

In 2019, they forced another government shutdown, which lasted for 35 days.

If the government shuts down in 45 days, millions of children and parents will lose access to WIC nutrition assistance, millions of federal workers will be furloughed or forced to work without pay, and federal agencies operating key programs will be closed or operating at reduced capacity.

Our communities cannot risk another government shutdown. And Congress must urgently expand funding for essential government programs that people rely on. Any cuts would devastate our communities.

We cannot continue to capitulate to a far-right Republican Party and their extreme demands while they inflict policy violence on working-class people. We must stand firm in the fight for everyday people.

Add your name if you agree: Congress must expand—not cut—funding for life-saving programs. We need to invest in our communities, not a bloated Pentagon budget that enriches military contractors. We can fund critical services when the wealthy and corporations start paying their fair share.