AFT’s Weingarten on Trump Pausing All Federal Aid

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to pause all federal aid:

“The effect of the current president’s unlawful pause on all federal aid is catastrophic for America’s working families. What is Donald Trump thinking?

“As he joins his Republican friends at his golf resort in Miami, his actions in Washington will create chaos in the lives of working families across America.

“The worst tuberculosis outbreak in American history is happening in Kansas. Californians need immediate fire relief. People in Florida and North Carolina need ongoing hurricane relief.  Children with disabilities; families in need of housing; seniors who rely on Medicaid for healthcare; low-income pregnant women; students with loans and grants; children enrolled in Head Start; police, fire, healthcare and other first responders—all rely on funds from the federal government, and the current president is halting all of that.

“Federal programs need to be more efficient, but no one voted for a president to halt their services—services that were appropriated, authorized and extended by Congress. Americans need a federal government that works for them, not against them.

“As representatives of education, healthcare and public service professionals, we will fight so Americans don’t get hurt because of this cruel, cavalier recklessness.”