Hoyer Statement on Republicans' Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement regarding the Republican government shutdown:

"A shutdown is a failure of governance, but that has been this administration's aim from the beginning.

"For more than eight months, Donald Trump and his Majority in Congress have tried to stop the federal government from functioning. They have purged tens of thousands of federal workers. They have shuttered numerous federal agencies. They have dismantled critical services for the American people. Now, they have shut down the government as an extension of that effort – all because they refuse to work with Democrats to stop Americans' health care costs from soaring. They even fled town after jamming through a funding bill designed to eliminate any chance for bipartisan cooperation in the Senate.

"We are ready and waiting to work with Republicans to extend the ACA tax credits that are set to expire, which would cause monthly health care premium costs to rise dramatically for 300,000 Marylanders, and to keep the government open. That can only happen if my colleagues stop putting politics over people."