Duckworth Votes to Prevent Health Care Costs from Skyrocketing, Calls Out GOP for Blocking Effort and Pushing Nation to Brink of Shutdown

Duckworth Votes to Prevent Health Care Costs from Skyrocketing, Calls Out GOP for Blocking Effort and Pushing Nation to Brink of Shutdown

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting against Republicans' extreme partisan bill that does nothing to prevent the healthcare cost and coverage crises they single-handedly created and safeguard other critical programs that middle-class families depend on:

"Again and again, Democrats asked Republicans to work with us on a bipartisan bill that keeps the government open and meets the needs of the American people-and Trump told Republicans to 'not even bother.' By fully embracing Trump's command to reject bipartisanship, Republicans alone are to blame for driving our country toward a shutdown.

"Families are facing double-digit hikes in health insurance premiums while millions are set to be kicked off their coverage completely as a direct result of Republicans' actions. That's why Leaders Schumer and Jeffries offered Republicans a proposal that would keep the government open while preventing the health care crisis they created with their Big, Ugly Betrayal. Our bill is a life-raft for millions of Americans, but Republicans still care more about what Donald Trump wants than what's best for our nation.

"Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. If they choose to keep going at this alone, they will only have themselves to blame for any shutdown they cause. Democrats remain ready to negotiate in good faith to prevent another Trump-Republican shutdown, we're just waiting for them to show up."

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