Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Republican Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson tried to blame the government shutdown on Democrats after refusing to negotiate a bipartisan budget and choosing chaos over solutions. Republicans have taken the government hostage in order to destroy American health care to fund tax breaks for billionaires. They are so hellbent on slashing Medicaid and ending health care tax credits for working people that Republicans are willing to sacrifice the financial security of families across the country.
Republicans hold full control in Washington. Democrats are ready to vote for a bipartisan budget that puts people first, but will not be complicit in their attacks on American families. The choice is Republicans: keep this shutdown and health care crisis alive or protect hard-working families from higher costs and lost coverage.
In response, Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“Republicans can try to play the blame game all they want, but it doesn’t change the fact that this shutdown is entirely of their own making. They created a health care crisis by slashing Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and now they’re doubling down, trying to rip away tax credits from millions of hard-working people and drive up costs even further – all while handing out tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations.
“Democrats are fighting to protect seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities, and make sure every American can afford the care they need. It’s time for Republicans to stop playing politics and pointing fingers, end their manufactured crisis, and work with Democrats on a bipartisan budget that puts people – not politics – first.”