This week, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park to recognize National Park Service employees who are continuing to work without pay during the ongoing government shutdown. During his visit, Fong assisted maintenance and road crews in clearing boulders that were blocking water flow within the park.
“It was an honor to spend the morning with some of our dedicated park employees and support the essential operations that keep our national treasures safe and open to the public,” said Congressman Fong (CA-20). “I want to thank the public servants here in Sequoia and Kings Canyon who continue to show up every day out of commitment to their work and service to our nation.
“We’re now nearing a month into a completely avoidable government shutdown, and the cost to federal employees, from our park rangers to our military members to our air traffic controllers, grows every single day. We must open the federal government immediately and I urge the Senate to end this shutdown, pay our federal workers, and get back to delivering services and results for the American people.”
Fong also met with grounds crews and other staff at the park, which employs hundreds of permanent and temporary workers responsible for maintaining nearly 866,000 acres of protected land. The park receives about 2 million visitors each year. The current shutdown has led to disrupted operations, delayed maintenance projects, and increased pressure on morale as staff continue working without pay. Across the country, 1.9 million federal civilian employees are missing paychecks due to the lapse in appropriations.
Congressman Fong previously requested that his congressional salary be withheld starting September 30, recognizing that many federal employees would not receive their wages during a shutdown period.
On September 19, Fong joined House colleagues in passing a seven-week stopgap funding measure—the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026—to keep government funded through November 21 while long-term appropriations could be negotiated. However, according to Fong’s office, Senate Democrats have voted against this temporary extension multiple times.
For additional information on resources available during the government shutdown, constituents can visit Congressman Fong’s website.
