U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, who represents Washington’s 7th district in Congress, posted a series of statements on social media addressing the ongoing government shutdown and criticizing Republican leadership.
On October 1, 2025, Jayapal wrote: “The Republican Shutdown has a devastating impact on our federal workforce, with nearly 750,000 workers affected. This means missed paychecks for working families and more uncertainty and chaos for this country. Trump and Republicans must end this shutdown.”
Later that evening, she continued her criticism of the current administration’s approach to dissent, stating: “This administration has made it crystal clear — they will go after anyone who disagrees with them to suppress free speech and silence our voices and our movement. It won’t work.”
In a post published just before midnight on October 2, Jayapal emphasized the partisan dynamics behind the shutdown: “Republicans control the House, Senate, and the White House. And now they’re using YOUR taxpayer dollars to try and shift blame. This is a REPUBLICAN shutdown. Democrats are ready to negotiate whenever they decide to govern.”
Pramila Jayapal has served in Congress since 2017 after replacing Jim McDermott as representative for Washington’s 7th district. She previously served in the Washington State Senate from 2014 to 2016. Born in Chennai in 1965, Jayapal resides in Seattle and holds degrees from Georgetown University (1986) and Northwestern University (1990).
