The government shutdown that began Wednesday prompted sharp criticism from prominent Democrats, who accused Republicans and President Donald Trump of turning the impasse into a looming health care crisis.
Democrats Sound Alarm Over Health Care Threat Amid Government Shutdown
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned that health care premiums could “more than double” under Trump.
She also accused Republicans of prioritizing a shutdown over affordable coverage for millions.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) echoed the concern, noting that a shutdown could raise premiums by 75% for 20 million Americans and cut coverage for 15 million.
He joined colleagues in live discussions condemning the Republican stance.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) repeatedly accused Republicans of failing to negotiate on health care, calling their actions misleading and claiming Trump was using Americans as “political pawns.”
He condemned their rejection of a bill aimed at preventing a shutdown and clarified that federal dollars do not fund health care for undocumented immigrants, countering Republican claims.
Schumer declared, “IT’S MIDNIGHT. That means the Republican shutdown has just begun because they wouldn’t protect Americans’ health care.”
Amy Klobuchar added that Trump had made his position clear: he would rather shut down the government than prevent the GOP health care crisis.
She challenged Republicans to decide whether they would rubber-stamp a shutdown or work to protect millions of Americans’ coverage.
Republicans Claim Democrats Are To Blame for The Government Shutdown
House and Senate Republican leaders blamed Democrats for a potential government shutdown, arguing it stemmed from partisan priorities rather than budget disagreements.
Johnson accused Democrats of putting “illegal aliens first, Americans last,” claiming they rejected a clean, short-term funding bill to push for taxpayer-funded benefits for noncitizens.
Johnson also cited polls suggesting 65% of Americans would blame Democrats if a shutdown occurred.
Johnson claimed that “Democrats have officially voted to CLOSE the government,” warning it would leave “Moms and kids… Veterans… FEMA… Soldiers and TSA agents” without essential support.
He questioned, “How long will Chuck Schumer let this pain go on — for his own selfish reasons?”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) echoed the message, saying Democrats blocked bipartisan funding extensions due to pressure from far-left groups and members.
He highlighted that reopening the government would only require a handful of Democrats joining Republicans to pass the existing clean funding bill, which has been blocked twice so far.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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