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On Thursday, Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) stood united in Washington, D.C., urging an end to the government shutdown, highlighting its adverse effects on families, workers, and federal employees in Pennsylvania.
In a joint video posted to social media, Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators urged colleagues in both parties to prioritize reopening the federal government as the shutdown entered its 23rd day. The message marks a rare moment of bipartisan unity between Fetterman, a Democrat known for breaking with his party on several recent votes, and McCormick, a first-term Republican elected in 2024.
“Here we are in Washington, D.C., and it is shut down,” Fetterman expressed in a video message. “Yet, representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, despite our party differences, we both feel compelled to stress the urgency of reopening the government.”
McCormick elaborated on the shutdown’s detrimental impact on the state, referring to air traffic controllers, border patrol agents, and the two million Pennsylvanians dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “Twenty-three days, 12 votes,” he noted. “Both Senator Fetterman and I have consistently voted to resume government operations. We are in full agreement on this. Opening the government is our foremost duty, regardless of which party holds the majority.”
Fetterman underscored the notion of prioritizing national interests over partisan loyalty. “Our decision-making is guided by country over party,” he stated. “With two million Pennsylvanians relying on SNAP, it is crucial to end the shutdown, reopen the government, and engage in meaningful discussions about extending tax credits. Although we belong to different parties, we stand united for Pennsylvania and our country.”
McCormick concluded with a firm statement, “Pennsylvanians expect it. Pennsylvanians deserve it.”
This bipartisan effort follows Fetterman’s consistent criticism of the ongoing shutdown. Earlier in the week, he told Fox News that he would not mislead Democratic voters by supporting a government closure, asserting, “It’s wrong to shut our government down. If I lose some base support, so be it. I choose honesty and won’t claim that closing the government is right.”
Fetterman has publicly broken with Democratic leaders on several occasions in recent months. In September, he told CNN that it would be “absolutely the wrong thing” for Democrats to shut down the government, arguing that such tactics create “massive chaos.” His stance has drawn criticism within his party, with some Pennsylvania Democrats reportedly weighing a 2028 primary challenge over what they describe as his independent streak.
Since President Donald Trump took office in 2025, Fetterman has voiced support for select Trump nominees and Republican-led policies, including the Laken Riley Act, and has defended his willingness to work across the aisle when it benefits Pennsylvanians.
