WASHINGTON — Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart blamed the federal government’s shutdown on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, as Republicans and Democrats in Congress remained at an impasse over health care funding.
Democrats and Republicans failed to pass funding bills before Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year, after they disagreed on whether or not to include funding for the Affordable Care Act, the health insurance subsidies that expire Dec. 31.
“If Schumer decides to reopen the government and to start negotiations, everything is on the table, but while he has the government shut down, there is not much we can be doing,” Díaz-Balart said.
Schumer blamed Republicans, as Democrats refused to pass the Republican bill to extend funding to Nov. 21 without funding for the ACA.
“End the shutdown and protect Americans’ healthcare, it’s not a choice, and Republicans don’t have to make it one,” Schumer said during a news conference.
Schumer said Democrats were ready to negotiate and urged President Donald Trump and Republicans to do the same. House Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House in recess.
“I support doing everything we can to try to keep health care costs down,” Díaz-Balart said.
Díaz-Balart said he and other Republicans were open to talks about health care subsidies after the shutdown ends when Democrats pass the Republican bill.
“We passed a clean extension of the current spending levels ... that the Democrats voted for,” Díaz-Balart said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats had caused a mess.
“Every day that goes by is going to be more and more damaging,” Díaz-Balart said.
Members of Congress and Trump continue to get paid during a shutdown. Federal essential employees have to work without pay and expect back pay once the shutdown ends.
On Tuesday, Axios reported a memo showed Trump’s Office of Management and Budget argued that although the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 authorized federal government employees to get paid when the shutdown ends, the appropriation of the funds needed to be included in new legislation.
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