Congressman Raul Ruiz smiles as he and TSA agent David Sherman have arrive in our nation’s capital.

“Welcome to D.C., and we appreciate you and it’s going to be one hell of an experience,” says Ruiz.

Ruiz says he invited Sherman as his guest to the State of the Union address to call attention to those affected by the 35 day long government shutdown and honor them, “I wanted to honor him and the rest of his coworkers at the Palm Springs airport by having him tell his story and also to be a representative who sacrifice for the common good.”

Sherman says he could not believe it when he got the call, “I was surprised when he first called, I was like, ‘shut up,’ and he’s like, ‘No really, I would you to be my guest.'”

Sherman, lives in Desert Hot Springs and also is the vice president of the union that represents TSA agents in several airports across Southern California.

Sherman says he saw firsthand the pain felt by federal workers who survived the longest shutdown in U.S. history, “Almost instantaneously, people’s stress levels went up, started worrying on how they’re going to feed their families, pay rents, utilities.”

Ruiz is still angry about the shutdown saying good people were hurt and the suffering will be long-lasting and widespread, “This had a rippling effect throughout our entire district that’s why it’s it is shameful to have an irresponsible and reckless shutdown by a president who intentionally wants to hurt the American people, my constituents, in order to gain leverage during a shutdown for political gain.”

Sherman says he and his coworkers will not survive another shutdown and hopes by being in Washington his message will get to the president, “Please don’t shut down the government, we can’t afford another shutdown.”

Local TSA Agent Goes to Washington D.C.