Ricketts: We Need Five More Democrat Votes to Reopen the Government, Restore Essential Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) emphasized his efforts to end the Schumer Shutdown. It is now the longest government shutdown in history. Ricketts made the comments during his regular conference call with Nebraska media.

Watch the video here.

"This is day 36 of the Schumer shutdown. It's the longest government shutdown in history, and we're seeing the impacts all across the country," said Ricketts. "But even in Nebraska, a friend of mine last week called me to tell me about a restaurant in Bellevue, where it's normally packed with airmen. Because of the government shutdown, airmen and the civilian employees are being very reticent to come in to be able to talk or to eat, because they want to make sure they're managing their dollars appropriately. This is the cost of Schumer shutdown."

"We're continuing to govern - even if the Democrats aren't," said Ricketts. "I've voted fourteen times for a clean, bipartisan Continuing Resolution. I voted for the bipartisan Shutdown Fairness Act to pay our on-duty federal workers. I voted for a bipartisan appropriations bill to pay our military servicemembers. I voted to confirm 117 of President Trump's nominees. I will continue doing everything I can to reopen the government and restore essential services for Nebraskans."

"We just need five more Democrats to stand up to their far-left base and vote to reopen government,"said Ricketts. "We need five more Democrats to say we care more about people than political leverage. We need five more Democrats to join three Democrats who are already with us. That's all we need to reopen government. The sooner, the better."

TRANSCRIPT:

"This is day 36 of the Schumer shutdown.

"It's the longest government shutdown in history, and we're seeing the impacts all across the country.

"But even in Nebraska, a friend of mine last week called me to tell me about a restaurant in Bellevue, where it's normally packed with airmen.

"Because of the government shutdown, airmen and the civilian employees are

being very reticent to come in to be able to talk or to eat, because they want to make sure they're managing their dollars appropriately.

"This is the cost of Schumer shutdown.

"It's impacting businesses in Bellevue, Nebraska.

"But it's also the air traffic controllers, the federal law enforcement officers, border patrol and TSA agents, U.S. attorneys and Capitol police officers who are working without getting paid.

"It's the federal courts that are in limited operations.

"It's the SNAP benefits that are only being partially issued.

"Head Start grants that are not going out, hurting low-income students.

"Small business loans are also not going out.

"Rural Development programs that support housing, utilities, and infrastructure projects are on hold.

"Grants to local law enforcement to fight fentanyl and protect our communities are disrupted.

"Aircraft inspections are delayed.

"Veterans transition assistance is disrupted.

"National Guard trainings are delayed.

"I could go on and on.

"Telehealth and at-home care, community health centers, payments for ambulances, hospital-at-home services all disrupted.

"These are all the consequences of the Schumer Shutdown.

"To be clear, Republicans cannot open government by ourselves.

"We need eight Democrats to vote to reopen government right now.

"We have three.

"We need five more.

"Yet for too many of my Democrat colleagues in the Senate, these consequences are just leverage.

"Yet for too many of my Democrat colleagues in the Senate, these consequences are just 'leverage.'

"Democrat Martin Heinrich of New Mexico said that our bipartisan bill to reopen the government: 'gives the president more leverage.'

"Why is it leverage for the President to have a working government?

"I think that benefits everyone.

"Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island said this shutdown is 'the only lever we have.'

"Democrat Ruben Gallego of Arizona said: 'I'd just go back and shut it down again' if he didn't get what he wanted.

"And, of course, socialist Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said: 'you reopen the government, we lose our leverage.'

"To Democrats, the Schumer Shutdown is about political leverage, not the American people.

"It's past time Democrats ended their partisan game.

"We're continuing to govern, even if Democrats aren't.

"I voted 14 times for a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution.

"I voted for the bipartisan shutdown Fairness Act to pay our on duty federal workers.

"I voted for a bipartisan appropriations bill to pay our military service members.

"I voted to confirm 117 of President Trump's nominees during the shutdown.

"I will continue doing everything I can to reopen government and restore essential services for Nebraskans.

"We just need five more Democrats to stand up to their far left base and vote to reopen government.

"We need five more Democrats to say we care more about people than political leverage.

"We need five more Democrats to join three Democrats who are already with us.

"That's all we need to reopen government.

"The sooner, the better.

"While Democrats claim they are holding out to negotiate on the Biden Obamacare COVID Boosters, Bonuses, whatever you want to call them, we need to reopen government first.

"And then we can have those negotiations.

"That's what's right.

"We need to reopen government.

"That's what Nebraskans deserve.