McBride Releases New Video Calling Out GOP for Dodging Responsibility on Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC -Today, Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-AL) released a new video slamming House Republicans for driving the country toward a government shutdown while refusing to act on the health care cost crisis facing American families.

In the video, McBride highlights the stakes of the looming government shutdown:

• ACA subsidies expiring - Without action, millions will face premium hikes as high as 90%.
• Medicaid cuts - House Republicans' budget maintains deep Medicaid cuts, forcing health facilities to prepare for closures and leaving patients without care.
• GOP obstruction - Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the House until after the shutdown deadline, telling the Senate to either pass his health care-cutting budget or shut the government down.

The government is set to shut down at midnight on Tuesday unless Congress passes a funding bill. Democrats have put forward a plan to keep the government open, permanently extend ACA premium tax credits, and reverse looming Medicaid cuts.

Full video transcript is below and available for use here:

"Government is about to shut down. How the hell did we get here?

"We're approaching a Government shutdown at midnight on Tuesday. That's when the current budget, passed earlier this year, expires - and it is expiring amidst a health care cost crisis for the American people.

"All year, Republicans in Congress have refused to extend funding for health plans under the Affordable Care Act. Current funding is set to expire soon and we don't have the luxury of waiting any longer to fix it. Health insurers are setting rates as we speak, and some have already announced premium hikes of up to 90%.

"And on top of all of that, with House Republican's dangerous cuts to Medicaid on the horizon, health care facilities have already started closing their doors in anticipation. That means patients are already losing out on care and entire communities are being left behind.

"As we've approached this shutdown deadline, Democrats in Congress have been ready to negotiate a path forward to keep the government open and address the health care cost crisis. And every step of the way, Republicans have refused.

"Two weeks ago, Republicans in the House passed a budget - in an almost entirely partisan vote - that maintains these health care cuts. And Speaker Johnson is so committed to cutting health care at any cost that he then canceled votes in the House until after the budget deadline passes, essentially telling the Senate: pass my health care cutting budget or shut down the government.

"Predictably, Johnson's budget failed in the Senate. They couldn't even get every Republican to vote for it.

"Now, we're barrelling toward a shutdown because Congressional Republicans are too hell-bent on cutting health care and too chicken sh** to actually negotiate.

"Well, Democrats are back in Washington ready to work. But House Republicans are nowhere to be found. And the message from Donald Trump to everyone who cares about this health care crisis was 'go f*** yourself.'

"Well, here's my message back: Democrats are here, ready to protect health care, and keep the government open."

The full video is available for use here.

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