Heinrich on CNN’s Situation Room: “I don’t think we can turn our backs on the people who make this country work”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, appeared on CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer today where he reacted to Republicans’ failure to work with Democrats to lower health care costs for working people and end the government shutdown.
“I think the House of Representatives needs to come back to Washington, D.C., and we need to get the principals in the room with the President and cut a deal. We need to make sure people can afford their health insurance, and we need to reopen the government,” Heinrich said.
Heinrich continued, “It’s a crisis because the current leadership in Congress is not willing to step up and take care of working people. It’s that simple. Like, we can afford this. This is a lot less money than what the President just gave to the country of Argentina, one of our competitors, especially with respect to farmers in this country. This is very doable. And, you know, these are red voters too. It really doesn’t make sense to me why we don’t just get in a room and figure this out. It’s not that expensive.”
On how Republicans' government shutdown ultimately ends:
Wolf Blitzer: “Senator, thanks so much for joining us. We’re, what now, three weeks into this government shutdown, neither side is negotiating with the other. So how does this ultimately end?”
Senator Heinrich: “You know, I think the House of Representatives needs to come back to Washington, D.C., and we need to get the principals in the room with the President and cut a deal. We need to make sure people can afford their health insurance, and we need to reopen the government.
On the need to permanently extend Affordable Care Act subsidies to hold down working families’ health insurance premiums:
Blitzer: “As you know, House Republicans point out that they did pass what they say is a clean, short-term continuing resolution, a funding bill, but most Senate Democrats have refused to support it. I know you and other Democrats want to address the Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, but why not vote to fund the government at least now and then negotiate on the subsidies when the government is now open?”
Heinrich: “It’s kind of a ‘Lucy and the football’ moment. If we do that, we will never get there. They will not raise these tax credits. And if we can afford a $3.4 trillion tax cut for people like Elon Musk, we can sure as hell afford to keep these credits in place that the working class in this country absolutely relies on. I have constituents who cannot afford three, four, five, $700 more a month that will push them over the edge. We cannot do this to working class Americans.”
Blitzer: “As you know, Senator, these health care subsidies, which are so important, are expiring at the end of this year because that’s when Democrats controlled Congress and passed the Inflation Reduction Act, it included that specific expiration date. Democrats were also the key architects of Obamacare. Is this a crisis of your party’s own making right now?”
Heinrich: “No. It’s a crisis because the current leadership in Congress is not willing to step up and take care of working people. It’s that simple. Like, we can afford this. This is a lot less money than what the President just gave to the country of Argentina, one of our competitors, especially with respect to farmers in this country. This is very doable. And, you know, these are red voters too. It really doesn’t make sense to me why we don’t just get in a room and figure this out. It’s not that expensive.”
Blitzer: “I’ve covered a lot of government shutdowns over the years here in Washington, and almost always, you have to pass what’s called a clean CR, continuing resolution, to end the government shutdown, bring the government workers back, have them starting to get their salaries and everything, and then work out specific details. At least while the government is open. Why not support a clean CR right now, and at least let the government operate as the way it has been over the past few years, the same spending requirements, et cetera?”
Heinrich: “Because if we do, we’ll never see those ACA tax credits extended. And I don’t think we can turn our backs on the people who make this country work. This is, you know, Democrats put a CR for it, we didn’t have 60 votes. Republicans put a CR for it, we didn’t have 60 votes for that. We need to get in a room and negotiate this.”
On a Republican proposal that would allow the Trump administration to punish federal workers and leverage more power to make the situation worse for working families:
Blitzer: “Some Republicans, Senator, have pushed a bill that would pay government workers who have not been furloughed as part of the government shutdown, those who have been furloughed would still be without pay. Is this something you would support?”
Heinrich: “I’m not going to pit some of my government employees against other government employees. I think that just gives the President more leverage to really make the situation worse and treat some government employees with incredible disdain. We’ve already seen a lot of government employees fired during the shutdown who didn’t need to be fired. This is an administration that’s very hostile to government employees. I have a lot of those folks in my state, and I’m not going to turn my back on any of them.”
On what is next for the shutdown:
Blitzer: “So what do your Republican colleagues have to do right now to bring the government back operating?”
Heinrich: “You know, like I said before, I think what’s critical, and the President himself has said this, the President should call the leadership of the House and Senate down to the White House, and we should negotiate a deal. That’s how we get out of the shutdowns.”
Blitzer: “And you think the Democrats and the Republicans, from their respective positions, are ready to make serious concessions?”
Heinrich: “I’m very cognizant of the fact that I’m not going to get everything I want, but if we don’t negotiate, we won’t get to yes. People need to get in the same room together and negotiate a deal.”
Blitzer: “Do you think that’s going to happen? Or are you pessimistic?”
Heinrich: “I think it will happen. It should happen, and it’s certainly the path that I support.”
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