House GOP to Senate Democrats: Prevent a #SchumerShutdown

Press Release

After the House voted to keep the government open and reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years, House Republican Leadership and representatives from some of the states most affected by Obamacare taxes and quickly-depleting CHIP funding. They called on Senate Democrats to stop holding CHIP funding hostage, support our troops, and prevent a shutdown.

If the government does shut down, it's on them.

For more information, visit SchumerShutdown.com

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI):

"Senator Schumer, do not shut down the federal government. Do not jeopardize funding for our military and for our national security. Do not jeopardize funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program. It is risky. It is reckless. And it is wrong.

"I ask the American people to understand this: The only people standing in the way of keeping the government open are Senate Democrats. Whether there is a government shutdown or not is now entirely up to them.

"I also want people to understand that Senate Democrats do not oppose anything that is in this bill. They are just holding this critical funding hostage for a deal on a completely unrelated immigration issue.

"Yes, we need to address the DACA program, and we are engaged in good-faith negotiations as we speak. But that deadline is weeks away.

"So Senate Democrats are treating our men and women in military, who are putting their lives at risk and on the line for us, as bargaining chips at this point.

"And they fully intend to shut down the government unless they get their way. This is a strategy that Senator Schumer himself has called "governmental chaos.'

"We sincerely hope--we sincerely hope--that cooler heads will prevail. And we sincerely hope that Senator Schumer will abandon this shutdown strategy.

"Help us keep the government open. Help us keep our military funded. And let's continue to work together in good faith.

"That is the choice they have to make."

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA):

"Troops, veterans, veteran death benefits -- that's what we just passed on the floor. We wanted to make sure that they were fully funded and operational. The Children's Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP -- we just extended it for six years, the longest it's ever been extended in the history of the program.

"But unfortunately, 186 Democrats said no to that. There was nothing in this bill that they would disagree with at any other time, but it all hinges now on the Democrats whether this government stays open or not. In the Senate, it takes 60 votes. In the House, Republicans did their job. They made sure government stayed open."

House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA):

"We just passed important legislation off the House floor that will fund our military, that will provide certainty to Americans all across this country, and will support the Children's Health Insurance Program. It's actually the longest reauthorization of this program, at six years, that we've ever seen. And I encourage Americans to visit SchumerShutdown.com, because the Senate Democrats now have a choice to make and I urge them to stop the games and join us in putting people first. Join us in supporting the Children's Health Insurance Program that is so important in many states right now. Join us in supporting our troops and keeping the government open. Let's, Republicans and Democrats, come together and do the right thing for America."

Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-NC):

"I'm Patrick McHenry, I serve as the Chief Deputy Whip and in Steve Scalise's absence we worked the bill this week for the whip team. We passed a bipartisan piece of legislation that funds our government. It says clearly to the American people that the House of Representatives will not allow our troops and our children to be held hostage for political games in Washington.

"We've done so in a responsible way with 230 votes in the House of Representatives, a bipartisan vote. It's an important message that we want to keep the government open. We want to do the business of the American people, while also doing those meaningful reforms to these programs, and the extension of these bipartisan programs, and we've had a great vote. A unifying vote among Republicans, with Democrats buying in as well.

"I think it's important that the Senate act and do so to avoid a government shutdown."

Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN):

The medical device tax is a job killer--no place bigger than in my district. … This is not a partisan issue. This is a common-sense issue. This is about job creation. This is about keeping R&D in this country. This is common sense. The only thing that could possibly stand in the way of this tax not coming back is the action we need from Senate Democrats tonight. … I am proud tonight that we are able to move this tax back for two years with the hopes that Senate Democrats will do the right thing.

Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND):

"[In North Dakota], 5,000 low-income children are counting on Senate Democrats to put partisan politics aside and provide the healthcare they need."

"We have 50,000 veterans and military families in North Dakota that rely on and deserve [their] paychecks on time--to reward them in a small way for the incredible sacrifices they make. So Senate Democrats, do the right thing for the children, for the veterans, and the families of this country."

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