“Federal workers want to reopen the government. The Democrats tell them, no, we know better than you do. As a result, the pain continues. Each day, the Democrats grow more radical, more reckless, more extreme, and more out of touch with the people they claim to represent.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor about prolonged pain Americans are feeling because of the Schumer Shutdown. Senator Barrasso also shared statements from union leaders as well as major U.S. airlines that called on Democrats to end the shutdown by passing a clean continuing resolution.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“This weekend, 42 million struggling Americans lost access to food assistance. Many are suffering and sacrificing. This weekend, 1.8 million federal workers missed a paycheck. Their bills are mounting. This weekend, thousands of flights across the country were delayed. Today, air travel is less safe and less dependable. Those are the latest consequences of the Schumer Shutdown.
“These are real people. They are feeling real pain. It didn’t have to be this way. Republicans – and a few reasonable Democrats – have voted 13 times to reopen the government. We voted to prevent the suffering. Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats voted 13 times against a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution to reopen the government. Democrats voted 13 times against paying our troops. Democrats voted against paying air traffic controllers. They voted against paying TSA agents. They voted against paying Border Patrol agents. They voted 13 times against funding food assistance for struggling families. They voted against funding Head Start for young children.
“Today is Day 35 of the Schumer Shutdown. Democrats have now tied the record for the longest government shutdown in history. And for what? What have they gained? Have Democrats become more popular? No. They are at their weakest and lowest position in 20 years. Why? Because Americans are paying attention.
“Americans resent being used by Democrats as pawns. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports that the Schumer Shutdown could cost our economy as much as $14 billion. Even Democrats’ supporters in the unions are pleading with Democrats to reopen the government.
“The President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association supports a clean, continuing resolution. He said just this Friday, ‘It is incredibly unfair to expect hard-working, patriotic American air traffic controllers and their families to bear the full burden’ of the shutdown.
“The President of the Teamsters Union has repeatedly urged Democrats to reopen the government. He said on Thursday, ‘Put the politics aside, get to the table, negotiate a deal, pass a clean CR right now.’
“The head of the American Federation of Government Employees said, ‘Both political parties have made their point. It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship.’
“The President of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association likewise said, ‘The biggest way to ensure the safety, security and reliability of our national air traffic control system is to pass a clean continuing resolution.’
“Major airlines agree. United, Southwest, Delta, American – all of them support immediate passage of the clean, bipartisan continuing resolution. American Airlines was blunt: ‘A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations – and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better.’
“These are Democrats’ allies, supporters, and contributors. They’re saying enough is enough. Yet Democrats continue to ignore them all. Federal workers want to reopen the government. The Democrats tell them, no, we know better than you do. As a result, the pain continues.
“Each day, the Democrats grow more radical, more reckless, more extreme, and more out of touch with the people they claim to represent. They’ve said so themselves.
“Not too long ago, Senator Schumer gloated to the press, ‘Every day gets better for us.’
“The House Democrat Whip freely admitted, ‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer… but it is one of the few leverage times we have.’
“Senator Chris Coons of Delaware told a national television audience a week ago, ‘Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage.’ He referred to the shutdown as an ‘unpleasant tool.’ That tool is the shutdown itself – the pain, the uncertainty, the missed paychecks, the mounting bills, the grounded flights, the chaos in Americans’ lives.
“Yet knowing all that, Senator Rubin Gallego of Arizona – who is testing the waters for a presidential run – declared proudly, ‘I’d just go back and shut it down again.’
“Just think about that. Democrats see the hardship. They hear the pain in people’s voices. And still, they say they’d do it again. This is a choice by Democrats. They call your pain their leverage. Enough is enough. The American people deserve better.
“Republicans stand ready to reopen the government today. We support a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution to reopen the government, to pay our troops, to pay our federal workers, and to restore vital services. On this, Republicans will not budge. The American people have suffered long enough. It is time for Democrats to reopen the government.”
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