President Barack Obama on Monday visted the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington to meet with and thank workers for their response to Tropical Storm Karen, which is approaching the Gulf of Mexico.
While at FEMA, Obama will also call on Congress to end the federal government shutdown. Obama will ask House Republicans to bring a clean continuing resolution up for a vote, so that workers at agencies like FEMA can get back to work and receive paychecks.
“The President will ask Congress to do what’s in the best interest of the economy and American middle class families,” a White House official said in a statement. “Congress should hold a vote on the House floor today to re-open the government – it would pass with bipartisan support.”
Due to the government shutdown, FEMA furloughed workers and its employees are working without pay. The agency recalled some of its employees as part of a hurricane response team in advance of the storm.
