WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on the passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

"When Republicans shut down the government on October 1st, House Democrats had one simple demand - protect health care for millions of Americans whose premiums are skyrocketing.

"For 43 days, Democrats held the line to demand that Republicans cancel the cuts and lower healthcare costs for Americans, who are seeing their health care premiums double and triple, nursing homes set to close, and massive cuts to Medicaid and food assistance. For 43 days, Republicans showed exactly what extreme cruelty looks like: illegally refusing to fund basic food assistance for 42 million Americans or to do anything to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

"Today's bill does absolutely nothing to address rising health care costs, while at the same time tucking in a provision that allows eight Republican Senators to get a million dollars each from a giant slush fund at the same time that Americans face higher costs on everything from groceries to healthcare.

"I join Americans who are furious and outraged about the crisis of cruelty and corruption that Donald Trump and his cult party of Republicans are inflicting on the American people. Everyone - from federal workers who were illegally threatened to not even receive backpay to the families who are still waiting for SNAP payments - suffered and took great risks because they knew we needed to stand up to the authoritarianism of this administration and the outrageous cruelty of a Republican Party that won't even fight for their own constituents' lives. Health care is not a Democratic or Republican issue - it affects everyone. And in the richest country in the world, no one should have to choose between food and healthcare, or rent and cancer treatments.

"I will never give up the fight for every single American's health care. That's exactly why I voted Hell NO."

Issues: Health Care, Housing, Transportation, & Infrastructure, Jobs, Labor, & the Economy