(WTNH) - Senator Chris Murphy shared some letters and e-mails he has received from people in Connecticut affected by the government shutdown.

On the Senator's Facebook, Murphy read the messages on Facebook Live, including one from Courtney of Northford who comes from a Coast Guard family.

"Because of the shutdown, she is unable to pay for gas to get her special needs kids to their appointments and to pick up their medication," Murphy says.

He continues, "This is from James, a State Department employee who is currently assigned overseas in Afghanistan: 'I am considered an essential employee and am currently working in excess of 50 hours a week with no pay, furthering US policy goals in Afghanistan. I am concerned that I will not be able to make my mortgage payments, and that our credit card bills are going to skyrocket for daily living expenses. I also had to defer my son's tuition payment.'"

Murphy says about 1,500 federal employees in Connecticut are either furloughed or working without pay.