On Day 12 of the government shutdown, Congresswoman Lois Frankel signed onto to an effort to reopen the government. The special congressional procedure, known as a discharge petition, allows a majority of members to bypass Speaker Boehner and force an up or down vote on a bill to reopen the government. This petition only needs a majority of House members to sign on and does not require any action by the House Republican leadership.

“With this reckless and irresponsible government shutdown dragging on and hurting the economy and Americans, I joined many of my colleagues in signing a petition that will allow a vote to reopen the government,” Frankel said. “We must end this shutdown immediately.”

The shutdown is costing the economy $300 million a day it has thrown hundreds of thousands of patriotic Americans out of work, threatened childcare for thousands of children, slowed the processing of veterans benefits claims, stopped loans to small businesses and halted life-saving medical research.

###