At midnight Wednesday morning, Washington Democrats forced the federal government into a shutdown – putting the demands of their radical, Leftist base ahead of hardworking American families. House Republicans acted weeks ago to make sure this situation could be avoided. This shutdown is happening entirely because Democrats are holding our nation hostage in attempt to force free health care for illegal immigrants down the throats of American taxpayers.

House Republicans have passed a nonpartisan continuing resolution to keep the government open until November 21. This bill doesn’t contain any partisan demands, just a straightforward bill to fund government for seven weeks to give time to reach a year-long agreement. In fact, the entire bill is only 24 pages long.  Democrats supported this same type of short-term funding measure 13 times during the Biden administration and voted for this exact same continuing resolution as recently as March.

Why are Democrats holding America hostage? Because their far-left base is demanding it. Democrats claim they are not opposed to what IS in the House-passed continuing resolution. They are opposed to what is NOT in it. Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats are using a government shutdown to try to force through a radical wish list that has nothing to do with keeping the government open. Republicans will not give into their demands which would add an additional $1.5 trillion in new, partisan spending and include giveaways like free health care for illegal immigrants, $500 million to bail out liberal media outlets, billions of dollars for foreign climate projects, and a $50 billion cut to rural health care. That is what Democrats are fighting for while American workers and families are left without paychecks.

The hypocrisy is overwhelming. In her very first floor speech before the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “It is not normal to shut down the government when we don’t get what we want.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer once said, “A shutdown should never be a bargaining chip.” Now, they are doing exactly what they once condemned: shutting down the government to appease the most radical voices in control of their party.

Washington Democrats are willing to hold our troops hostage, leave federal employees without pay, and put rural hospitals at risk just to appease their political base. All of this while families across Missouri are still recovering from the higher prices, higher interest rates, and smaller paychecks they experienced under the Biden Administration’s failed economic policies.

President Trump was right when he said Democrats need to get serious about the future of our country. The American people deserve leaders who will put working Americans first. Instead, Democrats chose to put their far-left agenda above everything else, including the livelihoods of working families.

Missourians sent me to Washington to fight for common sense. House Republicans are united in that mission. We will continue working to end this Democrat shutdown, to make sure our troops are paid, and to ensure Missouri families get the support they need. But let there be no confusion: the U.S. government is closed today because Washington Democrats have, once again, put the American people last.