WASHINGTON, D.C.(KMIT)- Congressman Dusty Johnson commented from Washington, D.C. on Thursday about the need for the government to stay open. The Congressman said the general public focuses on government employees who will be furloughed without pay and those who will have to continue to work without pay – federal employees like TSA agents and members of the United States Armed Forces – as well as things like Mount Rushmore shutting down. However, there are other considerations in a government shutdown as well.(1:18)

Johnson added that he thinks it is both ironic and a travesty that while other government employees will go without pay should the government shutdown, members of Congress will continue to get paid. Congressman Johnson vowed to do all he can to avoid a shutdown but if that happens – he will not accept his Congressional pay since it isn’t right that those who caused the shutdown continue to get paid while others suffer.

Amid the discussions, talks, proposals and machinations going on around the government shutdown, vital pieces of legislation are being delayed to the detriment of ordinary, working Americans. One of those pieces of legislation is the Farm Bill, Congressman Dusty Johnson explains:(1:30)

Congressman Johnson pointed out there used to be a bipartisan farm caucus in the Congress but due to polarization of the country, urban areas tend to be represented by Democrats and rural constituencies by Republicans. Even so, the Congressman is puzzled by the difficulties the Farm Bill is running into because it is so much more than commodity supports. The bill includes things like food relief for the poor and school lunches that are related to food but not to farming per se.