Senators Unite Against Government Shutdown Impacting Pennsylvania
Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) made a joint appearance in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, urging an end to the government shutdown and emphasizing its growing effects on families, workers, and federal employees in Pennsylvania.
In a video shared on social media, the two senators appealed to their colleagues across party lines to prioritize reopening the federal government, now in its 23rd day of shutdown. This moment of bipartisan cooperation is particularly notable given Fetterman’s recent trend of breaking from party lines and McCormick’s status as a newly elected Republican set to serve through 2024.
Fetterman stated in the video, “We’re here in Washington, D.C., and we’re shut down. But right now, even though we’re in different parties, we want both Pennsylvania voices here in the United States Senate talking about why we believe it’s so important to reopen this government.”
McCormick highlighted the significant toll the ongoing shutdown is taking on the state. He mentioned air traffic controllers and border patrol agents, along with the two million residents who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “The 23rd, 12 votes,” he noted. “Senator Fetterman and I both voted to open the government. We agree 100 percent on that. We have to open the government. That’s our primary responsibility, regardless of party affiliation.”
Fetterman echoed this perspective, framing the issue as a matter of national duty rather than party loyalty. “At this point, our votes are more about country than party,” he remarked. “There are 2 million Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP right now. It’s time to stop. And now we can stop and restart this government and have a serious conversation about extending the tax credit. We’re in different parties, but we’re on the same team for Pennsylvania and our country.”
“Pennsylvanians expect it. Pennsylvanians deserve it,” McCormick concluded.
This bipartisan appearance comes after Fetterman’s vocal opposition to the ongoing government shutdown. Earlier in the week, he publicly stated on Fox News that he wouldn’t mislead Democratic voters by defending the shutdown, asserting, “Shutting down the government is wrong. And if I lose support within my base, I’m just going to be honest and say that as a Democrat, I refuse to lie to the base about this.”
Fetterman has diverged from Democratic leaders multiple times recently. Last month, he told CNN that it was “absolutely wrong” for Democrats to initiate a government shutdown, arguing that it would lead to “massive chaos.” His statements have faced pushback from within his own party, with some Pennsylvania Democrats seeing his independent stance as a significant challenge for 2028.
Since President Trump took office in 2025, Fetterman has expressed support for various Republican policies, including the Laken-Riley method, stressing his commitment to work across party lines for the benefit of Pennsylvanians.
