Editor’s note: Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., delivered the following remarks Wednesday on the Senate floor:
“Mr. President, we’re now in Day 29 of the Democrat government shutdown.
“And I say that because it is a Democrat shutdown.
“Now, the Democrats are out there publicly saying, ‘Well, this is the Republicans who are responsible for shutting down the government,’ notwithstanding the fact that the House of Representatives has passed a bill, sitting right here, that with five more Democrats, we could pick up and pass, put on the president’s desk, he would sign it into law, and the government would reopen.
“Those are the simple facts.
“Those are indisputable facts.
“Now, what it suggests to me, however, when they say that it’s the Republicans’ fault, or you know, somehow the Republicans are responsible for shutting the government down, it really defies facts.
“It defies history.
“It defies reality.
“Because, as everybody who’s been around here knows, we have now voted 13 times—13 times on that bill sitting at the desk that would open up the government, put everybody back to work, and all the pain that is being caused [for] the American people would go away.
“Thirteen times, we’ve had that vote.
“Now, interestingly enough, that matches the number of times the Democrats passed a clean [continuing resolution] when they had the majority.
“The last four years under President [Joe] Biden, 13 different occasions—13 different occasions—they voted for a clean continuing resolution to fund the government.
“And at the time, they talked about how terrible it is that, you know, the government should be taken hostage when you have a dispute over other issues.
“You have tons of statements.
“I mean, I could spend all day just repeating the statements that Democrats made over and over and over again about the importance of funding the government and not taking it hostage to discuss other issues.
“The record is replete with statements like that coming out of the Democrats.
“So, 13 times they have voted against funding the government right here.
“Thirteen times while they were in the majority, they voted for a clean continuing resolution.
“Now explain that logic to the American people, who are the ones that are experiencing the pain and the consequence of their shutdown.
“I think the American people understand what’s going on here.
“We consistently see that, and so much so that you even have the organizations, the unions around the country, have come out now.
“You’ve got the American Federation of Government Employees, you’ve got the Teamsters, you’ve got at least part of the air traffic controllers union—all have endorsed a clean funding resolution.
“That, to me, suggests that the American people, it is resonating with them about who’s responsible for this government shutdown.
“But don’t take my word for who it is.
“Take the Democrats’ own words.
“If you look at what’s been said by some of the Democrat leadership here, just in the last few days since the government actually shut down.
“That, of course, is the Democrat leader, [Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.], who said, ‘Every day gets better for us,’ commenting about the government shutdown.
“And my simple observation is: Better for who?
“For you, because you think you’re winning politically?
“What about the air traffic controllers?
“What about the TSA agents?
“What about the American troops?
“What about our Border Patrol agents?
“What about the people who work in this building?
“What about the 40 million Americans that are going to not get SNAP benefits starting on Saturday if the government doesn’t open up?
“But every day gets better, according to Senator Schumer.
“Then, of course, this last week, there was the House Democrat whip, who said, ‘Of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’
“‘Of course there are families that are going to suffer.’
“Yeah, true, but doesn’t matter, because we’ve got leverage.
“Then, of course, we have a third one here, one of our colleagues here in the Senate, the senator from Delaware, who said this in an interview, ‘Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage. And although a very unpleasant tool to use … .’
“Yeah, yeah, it’s unpleasant.
“It’s unpleasant, unless you’re a Democrat who thinks that this gives you a moment of leverage.
“So, lest there be any question about who is responsible for shutting the government down—make no mistake about it, these guys are the ones who are out there bragging about it ‘getting better for us every single day.’ Or, ‘we have more leverage now.’
“Mr. President, this has gone on long enough.
“We’ve made it abundantly clear that this is not about what the Democrats say it’s about.
“It’s about the president in the White House.
“This is TDS.
“This is Trump Derangement Syndrome on steroids, and they are asking the American people to pay the price for that.
“Thirteen times when Biden was president, they had no issues with funding the federal government with a clean [continuing resolution].
“Now, we bring a clean, nonpartisan CR, no partisan riders, no policies, Republican policies attached, just funds the government.
“Comes over from the House a month ago now, we put it here, just asking a handful of Democrats to join us.
“Because, as we know, it takes 60 [votes] in the Senate, and I think most people understand that.
“I mean, they’re trying to ignore the fact now, that ‘the Republicans have control of Washington. They have the House, the Senate, and the White House.’
“Anybody who follows this knows that in the United States Senate, the rules, the procedures in the Senate by which we operate and are governed, require a 60-vote threshold.
“So, it takes more than 51—meaning, since we have 53 Republicans, it’s going to take a handful of Democrats.
“Well, we’ve been able to generate 55 votes consistently now, 13 different times, for funding the government, opening up the government, but we need five more.
“So, the question is: Are there five people over there with a backbone, five courageous Democrats, five Democrats who don’t buy this?
“Who don’t believe that they ought to be using the American people as leverage—as leverage—to try and win a political battle?
“Are there five Democrats over there who believe that we ought to do what’s in the best interest of the American people?
“The best interests of the air traffic controllers and the [Transportation Security Administration] agents?
“And the men and women in uniform?
“And the SNAP recipients that, starting on Saturday, are going to go without food assistance?
“This is not a game.
“You’re playing with real people’s lives.
“Now, in the Washington world, in the political world, they may think that they are winning this debate because it gives them leverage.
“But in the real world, where real people live, people are hurting.
“People here aren’t getting paid.
“Federal workers aren’t getting paid, as of Friday, last paycheck.
“Air traffic controllers, paychecks started going away yesterday.
“So, I’m still hopeful.
“I remain hopeful that there are enough sane Democrats who are not so afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome—because that is what this is about, fundamentally.
“Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.
“This is about Trump Derangement Syndrome.
“And … it has broken out over here in a way unlike anything I’ve seen in my time here.
“Disagree with the president, that’s fine.
“Come down here, make statements, cast votes.
“Don’t take the American people hostage and make them pay the price, because you think that ‘every day this is getting better for us.’
“Mr. President, the Democrat leader was on the floor yesterday morning, claiming that, once again, Republicans don’t want to talk about fixing health care.
“And let me just say, Mr. President—for the 1,282nd time—that Republicans are more than happy to have a discussion about health care.
“We should have a discussion about health care.
“Because Democrats’ signature health care law has done exactly nothing to address the problem of rising health care costs.
“We were promised, of course, that it would.
“We were, in fact, promised that Democrats’ signature law would fix our entire health care system.
“This is a quote: ‘[A]n historic bill that will finally reform our broken health care system and help millions of our families and small businesses get the coverage they need at a price they can afford.’
“That, from the senior Democrat senator from Washington speaking of Obamacare back in 2009.
“Or, to quote President [Barack] Obama himself, ‘This law will cut costs and make coverage more affordable for families and small businesses.’
“‘… cut costs and make coverage more affordable for families and small businesses.’
“Except, of course, it didn’t.
“And what has been very striking about the last few weeks is that Democrats are at least now admitting that.
“Oh, yeah, they’re not saying it straight out.
“But every time they talk about Americans facing a health care crisis, they are admitting that their signature health care law failed.
“That it did not address the problem of high health care costs.
“That it did not make health care more affordable for hardworking Americans.
“Now, Mr. President, I could go down the list of Obamacare’s broken promises.
“If you like your health insurance you can keep it.
“Not true.
“If you like your doctor you can keep him or her.
“Not true.
“Premium costs will go down.
“Not true—exactly the opposite.
“You look at, since 2013 to today, what premium costs have done on the individual marketplace on the exchanges, it is a line like this.
“Suffice it to say—as Democrats are now implicitly admitting—that Obamacare massively failed in its aims.
“Democrats, of course, now want to put a Band-Aid on a gaping wound by extending the Biden COVID bonuses.
“But, of course, extending those credits will do nothing to fix the underlying problem—which is that health care costs will continue to spiral under Obamacare.
“Throwing $350 billion in taxpayer dollars at the problem in the form of enhanced tax credits will do nothing to stop Obamacare premiums from going up by double digits—because that is what they have been doing.
“And it will do nothing to improve health care for the majority of Americans who are not on Obamacare health plans—like our seniors, our most vulnerable citizens, and those who get their coverage through their employer.
“Mr. President, while Democrats are, shall we say, shaky on the facts when it comes to their dramatic health care speeches—while Obamacare premiums are increasing, the median plan premium is not in fact going to double next year—it is absolutely true that Democrats have created real health care problems.
“And as I’ve said more times than I can count, Republicans are ready and willing to have a discussion about those problems, and about how we lower costs for hardworking Americans.
“We are, in fact, eager to have that discussion.
“The president is willing to have Democrats over to discuss it next week—if they vote to reopen the government.
“Because in the words of the Democrat leader back in 2013, we are not going to negotiate with a gun to our heads.
“That’s what he said.
“This is a serious matter.
“And I know Democrats think you can solve any problem simply by throwing billions of taxpayer dollars at it. The record’s pretty clear on that.
“But you can’t.
“Genuine remedies for the problem of soaring health care costs are not going to be arrived at with a brief late-night session behind closed doors in the Democrat leader’s office.
“We need extended, serious bipartisan work—with input from all senators.
“And we need Democrats to reopen the government so that work can start.
“Republicans are brimming over with health care ideas—from cost-sharing reductions to actually lower health plan costs, to association health plans, to ways to stop Obamacare’s spiral of enriching insurers at the expense of everyday Americans.
“In fact, we already took steps to make health care more affordable and accessible when we passed the One Big, Beautiful Bill this summer, which expanded health savings accounts and telehealth for Americans—to say nothing of investing heavily in rural health care and ensuring that our health care entitlement programs are focused on those most in need.
“So, I say, we are looking forward to having a real discussion with Democrats.
“But to quote another Democrat senator, the junior Democrat from Connecticut: ‘There is a time and a place to debate health care, just like there is a time and place to debate energy policy and immigration and education—but not when the funding of the federal government, and all the lives that are impacted by it, hang in the balance.’
“Mr. President, there are a lot of Americans suffering right now because of Democrats’ monthlong shutdown.
“And the suffering increases every day.
“It’s time—it’s past time—for Democrats to reopen the government.
“And once they do, Republicans look forward to having some serious discussions about how to address rising health care costs and the failures of the Democrats’ signature health care law.
“Mr. President, before I close, I’d like to mention a bill that Democrats are reportedly going to attempt to move by unanimous consent today.
“And I would just say that, after a month of steadily increasing pain thanks to the Democrats’ shutdown, Democrats have apparently woken up to the fact that in three days—in three days—they’re going to be responsible for SNAP recipients starting to go without food stamps.
“So what are Democrats doing?
“Are they making plans to end their shutdown and reopen the government?
“Nope.
“They are going to propose a bill to fund food stamps during their shutdown.
“That’s right.
“Democrats don’t want the bad press of hungry Americans.
“But they’re also apparently unwilling to even contemplate ending their monthlong shutdown.
“So they’re trying to insulate themselves with this bill.
“Mr. President, do you know what’s not in this bill?
“Paychecks for our troops.
“Paychecks for law enforcement officers and federal firefighters.
“Paychecks for air traffic controllers.
“Paychecks for other government workers.
“Funding for rental and housing assistance.
“Funding for small business loan programs.
“Funding for farm loan programs.
“Funding for tribal programs.
“Funding for Head Start.
“Funding for rural development programs.
“Funding for National Guard training.
“Funding for telehealth services.
“Shall I go on?
“Because I’m happy to.
“Every one of those programs I’ve mentioned has either run out of money, is running out of money, or is otherwise in jeopardy because of the Democrats’ government shutdown.
“And the Democrats’ bill would do nothing to support even one of those programs.
“Thanks to Democrats, federal workers are lining up at food banks.
“And Democrats’ bill is certainly not going to help them as they struggle to pay the rent. Or the electric bill. Or make their car payment.
“Mr. President, enough is enough.
“This bill is a cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown even longer.
“And we’re not going to let them pick winners and losers.
“It’s time to fund everybody.
“And the bill sitting right there at the desk does that.
“We just need five brave Democrats.
“If Democrats really want to fund SNAP and WIC, we have a bill for them.
“A clean, nonpartisan CR to fund SNAP, WIC, and the entire federal government.
“Or we could pass the agriculture appropriations bill that Democrats have been resisting behind closed doors.
“That would fund SNAP, WIC, and our farm and conservation programs.
“Not to mention ensuring salaries for the people who inspect our food and support our farmers.
“I’m happy to bring that up right now.
“Mr. President, Democrats have spent a month—a month, now—playing with people’s livelihoods because the far-left wing of their party won’t let them accept a clean, nonpartisan CR.
“Enough is enough.
“We’re not giving Democrats political cover.
“If they want to prevent damage from their shutdown, then they can end their shutdown.
“The bill is right there at the desk.
“And I will call a vote the minute Democrats tell me they have enough votes to fund the government.
“The ball’s really in their court, Mr. President.
“Is this what you want the American people to think?
“That you’re willing to give them enormous amounts of pain and adverse consequence so that you can gain leverage—political leverage?
“It’s time to end it, Mr. President.”
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