By Congressman Mike Simpson
Dear Friend,
The federal government has been shut down for one week. I have always said that government shutdowns are bad politics and policy.
Many DC Liberals have previously said that government shutdowns are “dangerous” and “disastrous” — I agree. That’s why, on September 19th, I voted for, and the House passed, a clean funding extension through November 21st. I want to address some of the misinformation regarding this shutdown.
Claim: The partisan Republican spending bill “rips health care away” from the American people.
Reality: The current funding bill is a simple short-term funding extension with no policy changes, and health care programs are fully funded at the current levels. The healthcare policy fight is unrelated to government spending – policy debates should happen separately. This CR is the same short-term funding extension that virtually all Liberals in DC supported the last 13 times provided by the Biden administration. Despite this voting history, nearly every DC Liberal has refused to support the current clean, nonpartisan funding extension to keep the government open and operational.
Claim: Republicans are forcing hospitals, nursing homes, and health clinics to close.
Reality: President Trump and Republicans won’t force American taxpayers to pay for free health care for illegal aliens. The Democrats’ counterproposal repeals the $50 billion investment in improving rural health care. In contrast, Republicans offered a nonpartisan bill that is a straightforward, short-term funding extension with no policy changes, and health care programs are fully funded at the current levels.
Claim: There should be bipartisan negotiations.
Reality: This government funding extension is nonpartisan. Appropriators held bipartisan talks on a nonpartisan, clean funding extension to keep the government open. As an appropriator, I can honestly say this is the cleanest CR I have ever seen. It has no policy riders and is intended to keep the government open while negotiations continue, allowing us to pass our single-subject spending bills through our bipartisan appropriations process.
About Mike Simpson
An Idaho native, Mike Simpson was born in Burley and raised in Blackfoot. His political career began in 1980, when he was elected to the Blackfoot City Council. In 1984, he was elected to the Idaho Legislature where he served until 1998, the last six years serving as Speaker. Mike is currently serving his fourteenth term in the House of Representatives for Idaho’s second congressional district. Visit https://simpson.house.gov/ to learn more or find contact info.
