CONGRESSMAN BISHOP CALLS FOR FUNDING BILL THAT RESTORES AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), a senior member of the United States House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding the ongoing effort to fund the federal government:

"I remain committed to working with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to get the government open and working for the people. Unfortunately, since January 20, we have witnessed a relentless effort to dismantle the federal government and eliminate its ability to serve the American people.

"This past March, Congress passed - and the President signed - an inadequate, interim federal spending bill. Despite that, the Administration continued to illegally withhold funds and services dictated by that very law. Without Congressional approval and regardless of court rulings against them, they have used DOGE and the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Voght - the architect of Project 2025 - to gut federal departments and agencies, including those responsible for veteran care, air travel safety, food safety, and even nuclear safety.

"As part of the Big Ugly Bill in July, this Administration pushed Congressional Republicans to take healthcare away from tens of millions of Americans by cutting Medicaid, Medicare, and tax credits for Affordable Care Act premiums. In the coming days, Americans will see their healthcare premiums skyrocket. And we are already seeing hospitals, healthcare centers, and nursing homes either cutting back services or closing outright because of this. All of that was to pay for permanent tax breaks for billionaires at the cost of permanently cutting healthcare used by most Americans.

"It is hypocritical for Republican leaders to say that they want the government to be open when they have been systematically dismantling it since January. It is unreasonable for Republican leaders to expect Democrats to agree to any funding bill without guarantees that they will stick to the deal when they have repeatedly caved to the President on illegally withholding funds or granting rescissions to spending he does not like.

"I opposed the current bill because I stand with Georgians against the Republican effort to strip away their lifesaving healthcare. With the imminent increase in healthcare premiums days away, millions of Americans cannot wait for Congress to deal with this later. Congressional Republican leaders need to come to the negotiating table, right now, with Democrats and pass a funding bill that truly reopens the government, protects their healthcare, and provides the resources to meet the immediate, ongoing needs of all Americans."

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