Senator Cortez Masto on Backing GOP Plan to End Government Shutdown and Address Healthcare Crisis

Justification for Opening the Government

• 🎯 Opening the government was crucial to stop the suffering of hardworking Americans, seniors, and children.
• 💡 In Nevada, a service industry-based state, the shutdown and previous tariffs had a significant impact on travel.
• ⚠️ Federal workers like TSA agents and air traffic controllers, along with food banks in northern Nevada, experienced severe strain, with seniors and mothers seeking essential food assistance.

Addressing the Healthcare Crisis

• 🏥 While opening the government, it's essential to fight the looming healthcare crisis.
• 📈 Americans are facing higher costs and premiums for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), impacting families with children who have rare diseases and small businesses relying on subsidies for employee healthcare.
• 🗣️ This healthcare fight is not just a Nevada issue but a national concern, affecting all states, including red states.

Path Forward and Republican Accountability

• 🤝 Opening the government allows for a focus on passing a bipartisan budget for 2026, including restoring funding cut by the previous administration and blocking future disruptions.
• 🏛️ Republicans must now follow through on their commitment to address healthcare costs once the government is open, as stated by Leader McConnell.
• ⚖️ If Republicans do not engage in negotiations, they will own the continued rise in premium increases and the loss of healthcare access for Americans.
• ✅ The Senate's responsibility is to work across the aisle to find real solutions that ease the lives of working families.