After another week of the government shutdown, the truth behind why Democrats refuse to reopen the government is starting to show. 

Additionally, the real costs of the shutdown are coming into focus. 

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported that the impacts of the government shutdown are hurting those who can least afford it. 

In response to a request by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Jodey Arrington from Texas, the CBO sent a letter emphasizing that the government shutdown will:

• Increase unemployment 
• Stall economic growth
• Cost small businesses revenue

The longer the federal government is shut down, the more serious the implications are for hardworking Americans. Senate Democrats must support reopening the government and protect the livelihoods of those who rely on its essential programs and services. 

Newhouse calls Murray, Cantwell’s shutdown vote political ploy

By Rep. Dan Newhouse

We are now in the fourth week of the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown, and Chuck Schumer remains unwilling to come to the negotiating table. Their political ploy has been centered around the enhanced premium Obamacare tax credits that expire December 31, and their tactic is negatively impacting farmers, veterans and federal employees across Central Washington. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am once again calling on Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to open the government so we can debate the merits of extending these tax credits. 

On November 1, open enrollment for health insurance begins. At this point, health care companies are sending notices to enrollees that premiums are going to increase without the extension of the Obamacare premium tax credits. However, if an extension of these credits were to pass both chambers and be signed into law, insurance companies could send additional notices that premiums are not increasing and are instead remaining stable.

For weeks, Democrats have demanded that Republicans commit to extending the tax credits, and in turn they will vote to reopen the government. The caveat here is that Senate Leader John Thune has already committed to holding a vote on extending the credits when the government reopens, but Senate Democrats have rejected that offer. 

Senate rules require 60 votes to advance legislation for a final vote. With 53 Republicans in the Senate, seven Democrats must cross the aisle and vote to re-open the government. Eleven different times, Senate Democrats have blocked the House’s clean government funding bill from reaching the President’s desk.

Farmers are unable to receive their Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans that are a part of their operations’ financials, veterans are having issues getting care, and our troops are at risk of missing a paycheck next week. At a bare minimum, Members of Congress must vote to keep our government open, and Washington State’s Senators have abdicated their responsibility.

Earlier this year, and twelve other times when President Biden was in office, Senators Murray and Cantwell voted for a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open. Had they voted on September 30, or ten other times since, for the clean funding bill and kept the government open, we would be in Washington, D.C. finding a solution to the health care tax credit issue. They should vote for the House’s bill to fund the government and end their manufactured shutdown.