WSBT: Rep. Tim Walberg discusses shutdown
Republican Representative Tim Walberg is echoing President Trump, saying they're willing to talk about Affordable Care Act subsidies, but the government needs to be open to do so.
WSBT 22 sat down and spoke with the Congressman on Tuesday.
He talked about how the clean CR does away with language that he claims allows "illegal aliens" to receive free healthcare.
Walberg questions why Democrats continue to deny that allegation.
"It makes our case that the Democrats want to provide free health care, especially free Medicaid for illegal aliens in this country, against prohibition of law, and that is something we cannot agree to changing in this, in this budgetary policy process," said Rep. Tim Walberg, (R) Michigan 5th District.
He's eyeing October 15th.
That's the date most government workers are supposed to get their next paycheck.
"We know then that all of federal government and all of the military, for instance, will not be receiving their pay that cooler heads prevail, and the Democrats will ultimately say we're ready to talk and we'll vote," said Walberg.
Walberg says most Michiganders haven't felt the effects of the shutdown yet.
But come October 15th, federal employees could miss their next paycheck.
Walberg says if discussing funding for the next year isn't an incentive enough, then government workers getting paid on time should be.
"We're talking about a potential hardship if these families don't get their, their checks. We have concerns about, about air traffic controllers. We've heard of some calling in sick, whether they are not. That's a concern. They're working soon without pay as well," said Walberg.
President Trump is considering denying backpay for furloughed federal workers despite him signing guidance in 2019 that guaranteed payment during a shutdown.
Congressman Walberg says there's a clear difference between those who agreed to work without pay for now and those who were discharged.