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Government shutdown causing local effects
FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with the wife whose husband is serving in the Coast Guard about the challenges they're facing as a result of the shutdown.
HOUSTON - Imagine having a baby with a heart condition and a husband who goes to work every day, yet you still don't know how you can pay bills.
What they're saying:
That was Ashley Totten's life from December 2018 through December 2019.
Her husband works for the U.S. Coast Guard and is considered an essential federal employee.
"First time was pretty rough, I think it was 34 days for that shutdown, with a couple of missed paychecks."
At the time, Ashley was a stay-at-home mom with two little boys. One was sick with a serious heart condition.
The experience motivated her Ashley says.
She finished graduate school, got her master's, and now works for a university.
With another shutdown and no timeline, Ashley says she worries about one-income families who will have no clue when they see a federal paycheck.
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with Ashley Totten.