Warren On Republicans’ Government Shutdown: Democrats Want to Save Health Care, Only Republicans Stand in the Way

Warren On Republicans' Government Shutdown: Democrats Want to Save Health Care, Only Republicans Stand in the Way

"Democrats want to keep the government open AND we want rollbacks of the Republican cuts that will cost 15 million Americans their health care coverage and drive up insurance costs for everyone else."

"This isn't partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care…We're in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans-led by Donald Trump-who stand in the way."

Video of Floor Speech (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. - On the first day of Republicans' government shutdown, Senator Warren took to the Senate floor to set the record straight.

"Republicans control the House, Republicans control the Senate, Republicans control the White House. They are in power. It is their job to keep the government running for the American people - and they have failed," she said.

While Senate Democrats want to reverse cuts Republicans made to Americans' health care in their Big, Beautiful Bill, Senate Republicans refuse to even come to the table.

"We have been asking for months to negotiate this. And the Republicans have said 'no.' What are they doing right now? Are they making counter-offers? Are they saying we can go this far but not this far?" asked Senator Warren.

"[N]ow, when a family is forced to the brink of bankruptcy from one bad medical diagnosis, Trump and Republicans own it. Republicans insist that those health care cuts go through," Senator Warren continued.

She also called out Republicans' refusal to check President Trump's illegal power grabs.

"Trump is playing king time and time again, and Republicans in Congress are bowing down and letting him do it," she said.

"This isn't partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care…We're in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans-led by Donald Trump-who stand in the way," Senator Warren concluded.

Transcript: Senator Warren's Floor Speech on the Government Shutdown
U.S. Senate Floor
October 1, 2025

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Mr. President, in July, when Republicans voted on the first spending bill for 2026 - with cuts that would knock 15 million people off health care - I stood right here and asked my Republican colleagues in the Senate to grow a spine and stand up for Americans. We are here today because the Republicans refused. Instead, Republicans bowed down to Trump - and now people all across this country will suffer.

Let's be clear: Republicans shut down the government because they'd rather make health care more expensive than keep the government running. That is literally where we are right now.

Republicans control the House, Republicans control the Senate, Republicans control the White House. They are in power. It is their job to keep the government running for the American people - and they have failed.

Donald Trump and Republicans own this shutdown.

And don't take it from me. Listen to Donald J. Trump. In 2013, Trump himself said, about a potential government shutdown: "if there is a shutdown, I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He's the one that has to get people together."

At the same time, Trump said "The president has to lead," "you have to get people in a room and you have to just make deals for the good of the country."

Donald Trump today should listen to Donald Trump from yesterday. Instead, Trump-Mr. Art of the Deal-hasn't been able to cut a deal for the most basic government functions. Wow. As Trump said, that's "a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States."

Let me say it again: Democrats are fighting to roll back the Republican cuts that will take away health care from millions of people and raise health insurance premiums for millions more. That's it. That's what we're asking for. We have been asking for months to negotiate this. And the Republicans have said "no." What are they doing right now? Are they making counter-offers? Are they saying we can go this far but not this far?

Nope. They are simply saying "no."

So now, when a family is forced to the brink of bankruptcy from one bad medical diagnosis, Trump and Republicans own it. Republicans insist that those health care cuts go through.

When community hospitals have to shut down, Trump and Republicans own it.

When kids with cancer can't get treatment because potentially life-saving research grants come to a screeching halt, Trump and Republicans own it.

When insurance premiums skyrocket, Trump and Republicans own it.

Health care in America was already broken. But Trump and Republicans are making it much, much worse. They ripped away money that covers mamas giving birth and neighbors who need wheelchairs and home health aides and they handed it right over to giant corporations and billionaire CEOs.

Democrats believe that no one should go bankrupt because they got sick and needed to see a doctor.

So Democrats are here to say we are willing to fight for families who need health care. If Congress is going to pass a budget for the United States government, then Democrats want saving health care for millions of Americans just to be part of that deal. Democrats made that clear, and Republicans have refused even to talk about it.

Trump is already doing his best to shut down government-or at least to shut down the parts of government he doesn't like. Since Day One, Trump has been trying to illegally wipe away millions of dollars for programs that Congress already agreed to fund. Trump and his buddy Elon Musk have fired tens of thousands of federal workers. Trump is declaring American cities as "war zones" and sending troops to invade communities. Trump is playing king time and time again, and Republicans in Congress are bowing down and letting him do it.

While all that is going on, Republicans in Congress want Democrats to sign a blank check over to Trump and let him continue to shut down whatever he doesn't like and to destroy our democracy. They want us to agree to a budget, knowing full well that Trump will then turn around tomorrow and delete this part or that part or whatever he doesn't like - just like he has already done.

Why would we play along with that farce? Why would we throw our support behind a deal that any time, any day, Trump could just decide he doesn't feel like honoring - and why would we do that without getting anything in return to help American families who are struggling with high costs, particularly the health care costs that Republicans are driving up. To do that would be a betrayal of the American people.

Senate Democrats are holding the line for families. Senate Republicans decided they'd rather take orders from a wannabe-king and shut down the entire government instead of helping out families who are getting squeezed on health care costs. It really is that simple.

Make no mistake: this Trump shutdown will hurt people.

Because of Republicans, children across this country could lose access to childcare through Head Start.

Because of Republicans, the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center will now stop enrolling patients in clinical trials that could be their only shot at treatment.

Because of Republicans, air traffic controller hiring will stop - at a time when we're already dealing with a dangerous shortage.

Because of Republicans, park rangers - and thousands of other civil servants - won't get paid.

Because of Republicans, Donald Trump's corruption and chaos will continue.

So what's next? Democrats want to keep the government open AND we want rollbacks of the Republican cuts that will cost 15 million Americans their health care coverage and drive up insurance costs for everyone else.

This isn't partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care, everyone who might need to go to the hospital, everyone who counts on a community clinic or a home health aide-whether they are a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent or a None-of-the-Above. We're in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans-led by Donald Trump-who stand in the way.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

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