An Update on the Government Shutdown

A government shutdown began on October 1, after government funding expired. 

Over two weeks ago, House Republicans passed a clean, nonpartisan funding bill that would fund the government for 51 days and allow our appropriators to continue their work. This bipartisan deal accommodated both requests made by Democratic appropriators before they suddenly opposed the deal and walked away from the table.  

Democrats in the Senate have refused to pass this bill four times now and have insisted we now increase spending by nearly $1.5 trillion. Their wish list of demands prioritizes taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants over keeping the government open for the American people. 

Now, our troops, border patrol agents, and air traffic controllers will have to go to work, but will be working without pay. 

Earlier this week, I met with a group of veterans in MI-05 who expressed to me their concerns about how a prolonged government shutdown would have detrimental effects on the veteran community. While veteran healthcare and benefits will continue, transition program assistance and career counseling have been suspended. and community organizations and providers that provide mental health support and lifesaving services for homeless veterans will not receive their funding. 

The American people need certainty. It’s time for common sense to prevail and for Senate Democrats to reopen the government. 

For updates on the shutdown and affected services, please visit my website here. 

Myth vs. Reality

Recently, my office has received inquiries regarding the clean continuing resolution, which was passed by the House, as well as the Democrats' counterproposal. Below are some common misconceptions about the shutdown along with the reality to set the record straight.

Myth: House Republicans passed a partisan bill and refuse to negotiate. 

• Reality: The nonpartisan clean CR only appears “partisan” because 212 House Democrats and 46 Senate Democrats chose to make it that way. We negotiated this clean continuing resolution with the Democrats years ago and have passed it 13 times under the Biden administration and again back in March. Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole even asked Democrats on the committee what they wanted in the continuing resolution, and they indicated they wanted it to be clean and short-term. We delivered exactly that, but now Democrats have walked away from the deal. 

Myth: Republicans have a government trifecta, so they can just pass their own bill.

• Reality: This is a deliberate attempt to mislead Americans. Democrats know government funding requires 60 votes in the Senate because most of them have voted in favor of this bill 13 times prior. The fact remains that Senate Democrats have cowered to the radicals in their own base who have been craving a shutdown. While 3 Democrats in the Senate have joined Republicans in supporting the clean continuing resolution, more must show some courage, stop playing political games, and pass this nonpartisan deal to reopen the government. 

Myth: Democrats did not shut down the government to pay for free health care for illegal aliens.

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• Reality: Not only have some Democrats proudly admitted this, the Democrats' counterproposal includes language to repeal various health care provisions from the Working Families Tax Cuts. These health care provisions were enacted to protect Medicaid from the current waste, fraud, and abuse in the program so that we can secure and sustain Medicaid for those it was intended to serve for generations to come. However, Democrats want to repeal these provisions that would close loopholes that over a dozen states have been exploiting to use taxpayer funds to pay for coverage for illegal immigrants and end benefits for illegal immigrants who have been gaming the system. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Democrats' counterproposal would spend nearly $200 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens. 

Myth: Illegal immigrants do not receive Medicaid benefits.

• Reality: This claim has been debunked time and time again. CBO, among many other sources, recognizes that taxpayers are paying for coverage for illegal immigrants, particularly in blue states like California. According to CBO, the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation prevents Medicaid funds from going to 1 million individuals who are not U.S. citizens or lawfully permanent residents to strengthen Medicaid for those who need it most. 

The bottom line: It’s time for Democrats to end this reckless shutdown. It will just take a couple of more Democrat Senators to realize the mistake they’ve made and pass the clean, continuing resolution so we can reopen the government for the American people and continue negotiations over appropriations for the year.