STATEMENT: Friedman on the Government Shutdown

"Instead of negotiating to make healthcare more affordable, Republicans - who control the House, the Senate, and the White House - have canceled votes and failed to return to Washington. They chose chaos over doing their job, forcing a shutdown on our nation. If I voted for what Republicans wanted, in my district alone, more than 47,000 people could see their premiums spike by up to 300 percent. That's in addition to the more than 42,000 who will lose coverage due to Republican cuts to Medi-Cal.

This is reckless and completely avoidable. I remain ready to negotiate but it is Republicans who control every branch of government and I refuse to rubber-stamp their agenda that hurts my community." - Congresswoman Laura Friedman