REPUBLICAN SHUTDOWN DAY 15: Senator Murray Calls on Republicans to Finally Listen to Their Constituents & Prevent Health Care Costs from Exploding
KFF: Most Republicans and MAGA Supporters Say Congress Should Extend the Enhanced ACA Tax Credits Set to Expire Next Year
Murray takes case directly to red states as Republicans feel the heat over their refusal to take action to prevent people’s costs from spiking
RSVP: Murray hosts call with Montanans who rely on ACA tax credits at 5 PM ET today
WATCH: Senator Murray’s full floor speech
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor on the fifteenth day of President Trump and Republicans’ shutdown.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Thank you, M. President.
[TRUMP USING HIS SHUTDOWN AS PRETEXT TO HURT PEOPLE]
“Let me be clear: shutdowns do not require presidents to fire people en masse. They actually do not require presidents to cancel projects and raise energy prices. Nor do they give presidents new, magical powers to destroy programs they don’t like, or to target political opposition.
“You don’t have to take my word for it, because this is not our first government shutdown. It is just the first time that a President has blatantly and gleefully tried to use a shutdown against the American people.
“So when President Trump fires hundreds of public health workers at CDC, without thinking twice about if it will put lives in jeopardy, that is a choice he is making.
“When President Trump puts at risk special education programs through mass layoffs, that is a choice he is making to abandon students with disabilities and their families, and weaken their access to rights under our special education laws.
“When Trump outright shutters a key community development fund, which has strong bipartisan support and finances housing, and health care, and other community projects across the country, that is a choice he is making.
“President Trump is choosing to fire as many people as he thinks he can get away with, to break as much of the government as is possible, to hurt the American people as much as he can, because he thinks he can use regular people as leverage.
“That’s the cold hard reality, and it is plain as day.
“That is why Trump is governing by a principle of maximum pain.
“It is not because he ‘had to,’ it is because he ‘wanted to.’
“It is not because he is following any law, it is because he is ignoring countless laws.
“It’s not because he held off on layoffs, it is because he is eager to continue to break our government, bend it to his will, and enrich himself in this process.
“Trump knows perfectly well, just as my Republican colleagues know, that shutdowns don’t give him any new power, and they don’t just let him fire people with reckless abandon.
“After all, Trump was President for the longest shutdown in American history.
“And guess what? Trump didn’t ‘have’ to fire thousands and thousands of workers when he caused that longest shutdown in history. He didn’t get to run roughshod over our laws when he kept the government shut down for over a month.
“So don’t let any Republican tell you he simply ‘had’ to now.
[REPUBLICANS’ REFUSAL TO PREVENT PREMIUMS FROM EXPLODING]
“And M. President, let me put another obvious falsehood to rest: Leader Thune keeps saying Democrats are ‘in thrall to the radical left.’ But here’s the thing: we actually are the ones talking to Republican voters!
“Because the majority of Republicans, and the overwhelming majority of the American people, do not want to see premiums double, triple, or even quadruple for millions of families.
“And many Republicans are starting to realize that too. Look at Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has made clear she thinks Republicans need to look at how to stop these premium hikes. Just look at the growing chorus of Republican members begging Speaker Johnson to bring them back so we can solve this issue.
“Clearly, Republicans are feeling the heat.
“That’s why we’re suddenly hearing Republican leaders absurdly pretend they’ve always meant to focus on health care, even if they would never talk about it before, and even if the only thing they are saying right now is ‘no, no, no—we can’t do anything on this right now. We can just think about, possibly talking about it, potentially, maybe, do something, someday.’
“So House Republicans may not be in DC to talk about this issue with Democrats.
“But here’s the thing: they are still hearing about it back at home.
“Families are staring down massive premium hikes, and they want Republicans to return and finally work on solutions.
“Look, the Republican leader can shut down the government if he is really that desperate to avoid addressing the health care crisis Republicans caused. But he cannot shut down the debate, and he cannot shut down the voices of families who are speaking out about how their premiums are about to skyrocket.
“I have been constantly hearing from folks back home in Washington state. Letters and calls are pouring into my office from families who are worried about how their premiums will double if Republicans refuse to act.
“A woman called into my office to share her husband already received notices that their insurance are going to double in cost.
“A mother whose son has a traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, she called, she’s terrified that she has no idea how they are going to afford the care he needs if health care gets more expensive.
“You know, last week, I spoke with a freelancer in Seattle who’s worried their monthly payments will increase—monthly—by at least $1,300, and a video producer who told me his premiums would more than double—and be about 60 percent of his mortgage payment.
“The week before that, I spoke with small businesses owners. They have no idea what they are going to do if the tax credits expire and their health care costs go up.
“Many of them are rethinking whether they can even afford to keep their small businesses, or if they’d choose to just go for catastrophic coverage instead.
“One small business owner would see his premiums triple, as his wife told me, and that is simply not affordable.
“And this is not just happening in Washington state. This health care crisis is about to hammer families across the country, in red and blue states alike.
“In fact, the biggest rate increases are all in red states. And three-fourths of the people who rely on these tax credits are, too.
“So why don’t Republicans go home and talk to their constituents about this? And if the Republican Leader doesn’t want to sit down with Democrats to work on a solution?
“How about he sits down and listens to folks back home who are getting notices this month with massive price hikes for their health insurance.
“If the Republican leader won’t sit down with Democrats to save people from losing their health care coverage, how about he sits down with small business owners, since nearly half of the people on the marketplaces are small business owners, employees, or self-employed.
“If he won’t sit down with Democrats to stop premiums from tripling for some families in his state, how about he sits down with farmers, since over a quarter of farmers in this country are covered through the ACA exchanges.
“Does Leader Thune think farmers are now the radical left?
“Does he think small businesses are the radical left? Because that is who is about to get crushed by these higher premiums. That is who is watching this debate and hoping, and praying, for action.
“It is unbelievable that the best the Republican Leader can offer to families worried about the health care crisis is ‘Wait,’ ‘Later.’
“That is really out of touch—with families, and with reality. Rates are being set now. Massive hikes are being announced now.
“Open enrollment is in a few weeks. In fact, by the way, Idaho open enrollment starts today. Today!
“Every single Senator needs to watch what is happening in Idaho today, because folks in Idaho are in for a very rude awakening when they log in today and see the rates for the coming year. And that rude awakening is coming to the rest of the country on November 1st if Republicans keep refusing to act.
“So, every single Senator needs to listen to the families who speak out about these massive rate hikes that are becoming reality.
“I actually spoke to some Idahoans last week. One retiree told me about how her premiums are going to jump 173 percent—that is almost triple.
“You think that’s bad? Another retiree I spoke with had learned that with tax credits his premium will be $367 a month. Without those tax credits? A whopping $2,232 a month. That’s astounding.
“And yet, if Republicans refuse to act, that is the reality that is going to come crashing down on families across our nation.
“This is not an ‘end of the year’ problem like Speaker Johnson keeps saying. It is a right now problem.
“There is a train coming. Families are tied to the tracks.
“Why on earth would Republican leaders insist on standing by?
“Why are they twiddling their thumbs?
“Why do they want to wait until those rates are locked in? And for all the talk of ‘later,’ why on earth wouldn’t Republican leaders work with us earlier on this?
“This is not some surprise. We’ve been raising the alarm for months.
“Republican leaders just didn’t care earlier. And apparently, they still don’t care now.
“What a contrast to Republicans’ billionaire tax breaks just a few months ago. Republicans were full speed ahead when it came to shoveling money at some of the richest people on the planet. Remember that?
“Moved heaven and earth. They used magic math. They slashed over a trillion in health care for patients and hospitals. They used every trick in the book for the billionaires!
“But now? Nothing when it comes to working families. Nothing when it comes to health care.
“M. President, Republicans can either go back home and explain to their own constituents why they think their premiums should double. Or they can come to the table, where Democrats have been this whole time, and work with us to reach a serious deal that reopens the government and responds to this health care crisis.
“Democrats are not going anywhere. We are staying at the table.
“Right now, Republican Leadership is refusing to take the shutdown or the health care crisis seriously.
“Speaker Johnson is still refusing to bring his members back from vacation, despite the growing mutiny among Republicans.
“Leader Thune is still refusing to do anything other than vote on the same, failed, partisan CR, over and over.
“And President Trump is still treating a government shutdown like his own personal jamboree, tweeting out sombreros, and promising to cut ‘Democratic programs.’
“Let’s be clear: Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress. And they are basically missing in action when it comes to finding a real solution to reopen the government and save millions of Americans from health care bills that will break the bank.
“When will President Trump get serious about a solution?
“When will Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune do their jobs and get to the negotiating table?
“When will House Republicans end this month-long vacation? Today? Tomorrow? Next week?
“M. President, the American people are waiting.
“But, of course, Republican leadership isn’t the end-all-be-all. Because Republican voters have made clear: they do not want to see their premiums skyrocket.
“And Republican members in the House and Senate alike are hearing from those families back at home who will not let them ignore this, and starting to realize: we actually do need to address this health care issue now.
“But M. President, the clock is ticking. Rate hikes are going out in the mail. Open enrollment starting today in Idaho. Time is running out.
“That message is breaking through. I think even Republican leaders are starting to realize there is no spinning their way out of premiums doubling in our country.
“If they want to get serious about stopping that, and ending this shutdown, all they have to do is say so. Mr. President, our door is open.”
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