Unacceptable....

Coast Guard's top admiral criticizes 'unacceptable' impact of the shutdown

By KATIE GALIOTO

The Coast Guard’s top officer lashed out at the government shutdown Tuesday night on Twitter as thousands of federal employees face missing another paycheck during the 33-day lapse in appropriations.

“Ultimately, I find it unacceptable that Coast Guard men and women have to rely on food pantries and donations to get through day-to-day life as servicemembers,” Adm. Karl Schultz said on a video posted to his Twitter account.

The Coast Guard is facing more severe effects of the shutdown because, unlike other branches of the armed services, it is funded by the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Defense, which oversees most sectors of the U.S. military, is fully funded through the end of this fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Schultz said though he is heartened by the outpouring of support for members of the Coast Guard in the time of “anxiety and stress,” he expects more.

“You as members of the armed forces should not be expected to shoulder this burden,” he said.

Schultz pledged to continue to work with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to seek solutions to the shutdown, which shows no sign of ending in the near future. The admiral’s comments came the same day Coast Guardsmen and their families traveled to Capitol Hill and pleaded with lawmakers as they prepare to miss another paycheck, the Military Times reported.