Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) said Wednesday that a food bank set up for Coast Guard service members in his district ran out of food amid high demand during the now five-week-long government shutdown.
“I spoke with the commandant from our region just this last week. He said we opened up a food bank, and the community opened up a food bank [and] within a few hours we had to shut it down because we were out of food,” Kilmer told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton on “Rising.”
“When people aren’t getting paid, there is a run on the food. This is an enormous problem,” he continued.
The commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday said it was “unacceptable” that members of the military branch have to depend on donations and food pantries amid the shutdown, to which there appears to be no end in sight.
“Ultimately, I find it unacceptable that Coast Guard men and women have to rely on food pantries and donations to get through day-to-day life as service members,” Adm. Karl Schultz said.
Kilmer is hoping to aid Coast Guard members and their family members will legislation aimed at protecting them from landlords and creditors during the shutdown.
“Specifically, it mirrors what’s already law under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. It mirrors that for federal employees that may be impacted by this shutdown,” Kilmer said.
“That provides protections from mortgage payments [and] housing payments, prevents creditors from either foreclosing upon you or repossessing something during the shutdown and for 30 days after the shutdown,” he continued.
— Julia Manchester
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