IFT Responds to Senate Spending Deal and Government Reopening
- IFT
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
CHICAGO, IL - Chicago Teachers Union and Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate's passage of a stopgap spending package and the subsequent reopening of the federal government without protecting healthcare:
"Yesterday's vote by the U.S. House of Representatives, which President Trump signed into law, is a clear reminder that now is the moment to take to the streets. Everything we care about is on the line. While elected leaders in Washington continue to work in the interests of the ultra wealthy, we must demand that our communities and their well being become the true priority.
Today, our union siblings who control the skies, secure our airports, and keep the federal government running are finally being paid for their labor—and for that we are grateful. And yet for nearly a yer, these public servants have been under attack by Elon Musk, Trump, and others who have tried to undermine the value of their work and dedication. They have shown up for American people every single day, often without a paycheck, and they deserve far better.
For these workers and for every person in this country who works for a living, we must deliver a clear message to Washington and to Springfield. The people who hold power must be reminded who they were elected to serve. It is time for leadership that protects working families rather than wealthy donors.
We should not tolerate politicians who choose personal ambition over access to affordable healthcare for millions of Americans. During this historically long shutdown, engineered by the Republican Party, the priorities of Trump and his allies have been unmistakable. They have taken food from poor families. They have pushed to dismantle the Department of Education. They have worked to make healthcare more difficult to access.
This is not the time to bend to fascism. This is the time for collective action. This is the time for labor and community to stand together and halt the MAGA agenda that has spent the past eleven months creating chaos and making life more unaffordable for working people.
We will not step back. We will continue to organize, to mobilize, and to fight for the future our communities deserve."