Rock Hill, SC — Today, Brandon Brown released the following statement in response to the ongoing federal government shutdown and its impact on families, workers, and community organizations across South Carolina:
“The government shutdown is not just a political stunt, it’s a full-blown crisis that is hurting working families across our state. What we’re witnessing today is the real human cost of dysfunction in Washington. Programs that feed children, educate our students, and keep local families afloat are being gutted — not because of necessity, but because of political gamesmanship.
The President’s statement bragging that the shutdown will ‘end Democratic programs’ tells us everything we need to know — this shutdown isn’t about fiscal responsibility, it’s about cruelty and control. When leaders celebrate shutting down the government as a way to score political points, they’re telling us that ordinary people don’t matter to them.
Two federal judges have already ruled that the Trump administration must use emergency reserve funds to continue SNAP benefits. But so far, this administration has refused to act.Their willful refusal is leaving millions of Americans uncertain about how they’ll put food on the table. That’s not leadership; that’s neglect.
In South Carolina, the fallout is already here. Carolina Community Action, a nonprofit located in the Piedmont, has been lifting families out of poverty for decades — is now forced to shut down operations. Today, 270 students will lose access to education and 80 dedicated staff members will lose their jobs. This organization stretched every dollar, using $500,000 in reserves to keep going through October. But no one expected the shutdown to drag on this long. Carolina Community Action is the face of this government showdown — a symbol of what happens when Washington politicians put partisanship over people.
This is why I’m running for the United States Senate: because we need leadership that believes government should serve the people — not punish them. Families are suffering, and it’s time for accountability. South Carolina deserves a senator who will fight to reopen government, restore funding to essential programs, and put compassion back at the center of public service.”