Congressional
representatives Brad Schneider (D-10) and Jan Schakowsky (D-9) ripped
the Republican party and Trump administration for their handling of government
shutdown, which went into effect at midnight.
In his
statement, Schneider said “President Trump and Congressional Republicans just
purposefully shut the government down – putting our economy, security, and
critical government services at risk. They did so simply to protect their cruel
healthcare cuts and make it harder for working people to afford their everyday
needs.
“Republicans
have full control of the House, Senate, and White House. While Democrats stayed
in Washington to seek a solution, Republicans took an extended vacation at
home. This shutdown could have easily been averted, and the responsibility for
it lies solely on President Trump and the Republicans’ shoulders.
“There is
still a way out of this mess. I call on Congressional Republicans to come back
to D.C., put the American people over their extreme agenda, and negotiate in
good faith a bipartisan budget that lowers costs and prevents a full-blown
healthcare crisis.”
In her
statement, Schakowsky said “This
is an utter failure of Republican leadership — it will substantially impact our
communities and our economy and will drive up health care costs for millions of
people.
“This
shutdown was avoidable. It will hurt real people right here in the 9th
District. Federal employees will miss their paychecks, families will experience
delays in necessary services, and small businesses that rely on federal
permits, loans, and contracts will suffer.
“I will vote for a bipartisan, negotiated budget that not only protects the vital programs we depend on, like Medicaid, disaster relief, telehealth access, and food assistance, but also extends health insurance tax credits and protects Americans from price increases. However, I refuse to rubber stamp a Republican proposal that continues to give tax breaks to their wealthy donors while families pay more to visit the doctor.”
Schneider and Schakowsky both serve portions of Buffalo Grove.
