Lady Liberty defies shutdown with bailout from NY governor

China Daily | Updated: 2018-01-24 07:58

NEW YORK - Huddled masses of tourists rejoiced as the Statue of Liberty reopened on Monday after the US federal government shutdown entered its third day.

"We are lucky enough to come here today," Ben Foster from Australia said on Monday morning before boarding ferries bound for the prime destination of New York.

"It's sad it was closed over the weekend. I booked the tickets six months ago. I would be very much disappointed if it is closed."

A woman surnamed Brown from Newcastle, England, agreed.

She and her friends came to visit Lady Liberty on Sunday and was told it was shut down for federal reasons.

"Tomorrow is our last day here, so if we don't get the chance to see it, we would be disappointed," Brown said.

"It represents freedom, so it should be open for everyone who wants to visit it," said Jessica from Germany.

The Statue of Liberty was among the national monuments and parks that closed after Congress failed on Friday night to pass legislation to keep the federal government funded.

All nonessential federal services had been halted and employees furloughed while Republicans and Democrats debated the fate of "Dreamers" - 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

The government reopened late on Monday, ending a 69-hour display of partisan dysfunction after Democrats voted to temporarily pay for resumed operations.

Rafael Abreu, Director of Sales and Marketing of Statue Cruises, was very grateful to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo for his bail out of the city's most iconic landmark.

"Many of our visitors were frustrated. Many people don't make the connection between the government and the Statue of Liberty," he said.

Cuomo announced on Sunday the state would cover the tab of $65,000 per day to pay federal employees who operate Liberty Island.

"It's going to be open and running as normal," Cuomo said at a news conference in a lower Manhattan park overlooking the statue on Sunday. "We will pay to keep the Statue of Liberty open every day."

The state of Arizona made a similar move on the Grand Canyon.

The US governors have taken actions during previous shutdowns. Cuomo also kept the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open in the last government shutdown, in October 2013, which lasted for 16 days and led to 850,000 federal employees being furloughed.

Xinhua - AP