Senator Thune Blames Democrats for Government Shutdown's 'Pile Up' of Victims

Impact of the Government Shutdown

• ⚠️ The government shutdown is causing significant pain to the American people, with victims "starting to pile up."
• 🥫 Military families are turning to food banks, and federal workers are missing paychecks, leading to an influx at food banks nationwide.
• 🍎 The future of SNAP benefits is uncertain, putting millions at risk of hunger.
• 🏠 Head Start programs are closing, housing assistance is at risk, and telehealth services for seniors in rural areas are inaccessible.
• 훈련 National Guard training is on hold, and veterans programs are paused.

Democratic Obstruction and Proposed Solution

• 🗳️ Despite acknowledging the suffering, the vast majority of Democrats voted against a clean continuing resolution that could end the shutdown quickly.
• 📜 A clean continuing resolution is presented as the only bill on offer that would resolve all mentioned issues, including paying troops and funding essential programs.
• 🤝 Three Democratic senators and one from Maine (who supported a similar bill in the House) have expressed support for the clean CR.
• 📢 Unions like the Teamsters and the American Federation of Government Employees have urged Congress to pass the clean CR to spare Americans further pain.

Healthcare Discussion and Next Steps

• 🏥 Republicans are willing to discuss healthcare, specifically the Obamacare problem, but only after the government is reopened.
• 🗣️ President Trump would meet with Democrats this week if they had voted to reopen the government, indicating a willingness to engage.
• 📈 Republicans claim to have ideas for lowering healthcare costs for all Americans, not just those on Obamacare.

Call to End the Shutdown

• ✈️ The shutdown is snarling airline travel, hurting small businesses, and leaving hundreds of thousands working without pay.
• ❓ Senator Thune questions how long Democrats will continue the shutdown and how much suffering is acceptable.