{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-values-action-team-chairman-robert-aderholt-and-vat-members", "House Values Action Team Chairman Robert Aderholt and VAT Members on Democrats Prolonging Shutdown for Leverage:   \u201cEvery day under the Schumer Shutdown is worse for the American family.\u201d", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Robert B. Aderholt", "A000055", "aderholt.house.gov", "aderholt", "https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cThe Schumer Shutdown is harming the American family,\u201d said House Values Action Team (VAT) Chairman Robert Aderholt. \u201cVAT exists to protect American families, including the millions now straining to make ends meet during this reckless shutdown.\u201d\n\n\u201cDemocratic leaders are holding American families hostage to prolong this shutdown, all in service of subsidizing a broken system and prioritizing healthcare for illegal immigrants. Take them at their word: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer openly said, \u2018Every day gets better for us,\u2019 and Minority Whip Katherine Clark admitted, \u2018Of course there will be families that are going to suffer, but it is one of the few leverage items we have.\u2019\n\nWhile Democrat leadership believes every day gets better for them, the fact remains that every day gets worse for the American family,\u201d said Aderholt. \u201cMillions of Americans are not getting paid and are struggling to feed their families, while elitist, out-of-touch Democrats are insisting on taxpayer-funded Medicaid for illegal immigrants and demanding an extension of COVID-era ACA subsidies.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the country, Americans are feeling the consequences as food assistance funding is running out, and military families, TSA agents, and air traffic controllers don\u2019t know when their next paychecks will arrive.\n\n\u201cDemocrats wrote the [un]Affordable Care Act, expanded subsidies during COVID, and manufactured this fake deadline. This is a problem of their own making. Now they\u2019re demanding another $1.5 trillion and an extension of subsidies that force taxpayers to fund abortions by continuing to oppose Hyde protections for the ACA. American families shouldn\u2019t have to pay the price for Democrats\u2019 political games.\u201d\n\nMajority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01) said: \u201cAmerican families are already struggling with the repercussions of Democrats\u2019 political games \u2013 and it\u2019s getting worse every day the shutdown continues. While Democrats say \u2018every day gets better for us,' hardworking Americans are missing paychecks and losing access to critical programs they rely on. And for what? So Democrats can use them as leverage for their $1.5 trillion wish-list of radical demands like giving taxpayer-funded health care to illegals while gutting $50 billion out of rural health care. It\u2019s disgraceful. Americans can\u2019t afford to continue paying the price for the Schumer Shutdown. It\u2019s time for Democrats to stop holding families and workers hostage and do the right thing: pass our clean, short-term continuing resolution.\u201d\n\nHouse Republican Conference Vice Chair, Congressman Blake Moore (UT-01) said: \u201cDemocrats have shut the government down over a policy goal completely unrelated to government funding, hurting thousands of Utah families whose livelihoods are dependent on paychecks tied to their federal service. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join us in voting to resume government funding so these families can pay their bills.\u201d\n\nHouse VAT Co-Chair, Congressman Josh Brecheen (OK-02) said: \u201cFor the first time ever, the Democrats shut down the government over a clean CR so that they could fund trans surgeries and provide healthcare for illegal aliens through Obamacare. This is a completely unacceptable use of Americans\u2019 hard-earned tax dollars. Liberals in Congress must stop trying to throw money at the Unaffordable Care Act. We must prioritize American families, rather than the partisan desires of left-wing extremists. I urge my Democrat colleagues to reopen the government. Our troops, federal employees, and American families should not be pawns in the Democrats\u2019 political games.\u201d\n\nVAT Executive Committee Member, Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) said: \"The Democrats\u2019 wildly unserious demands for an additional $1.5 trillion\u2014including health care for illegals and welfare for able-bodied adults who refuse to work\u2014will result in veterans and vulnerable citizens suffering lack of services, military contracts being cancelled, and taxpayers and the economy losing billions of dollars. The Democrat Party used to be against shutdowns until they were overrun by the socialist Left - and you just can\u2019t reason with radicals.\u201d\n\nVAT Executive Committee Member, Congressman Eric Burlison (MO-07) said: \"Chuck Schumer is holding the entire country hostage to demand $1.5 trillion in new spending. It\u2019s political extortion to extract more deficit spending. It is irresponsible to use a shutdown as leverage to drive our country deeper into debt, and unfortunately, Americans will continue to be affected due to this reckless demand.\u201d\n\nVAT Executive Committee Member, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) said: \u201cEvery day this Democrat-led shutdown continues, it\u2019s hardworking families across the country who pay the price. While Democrats play political games trying to restore taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, moms and dads back home are wondering how to put food on the table. That\u2019s unacceptable. It\u2019s time for Democrats to stop this madness and vote to re-open the government so we can fund necessary programs and pay the troops, air traffic controllers, and other critical employees.\u201d\n\nVAT Executive Committee Member, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) said: \u201cThe Schumer Shutdown is not about heath care. The Democrats are using the shutdown to raise money and maintain the support of the socialists and Marxists millionaires and billionaires that they depend on to stay in power. Federal government workers and military families are living in fear of missing their paychecks because of the Schumer Shutdown. It\u2019s time to do what is best for the American people and open the government instead of putting up a fake, performative fight.\u201d\n\nCongressman August Pfluger (TX-11) said: \"As we near a month of the Democrats\u2019 reckless government shutdown, it is clear their political agenda comes before the well-being of American families, workers, and small business owners. This isn\u2019t just a political standoff \u2013 it is a profoundly irresponsible decision that\u2019s hurting families across the country, but Democrats already know this. Just last week, they openly admitted to using American families as leverage during this shutdown \u2013 a position I firmly oppose and condemn. I came to Washington to fight for families, not to see them used as bargaining chips. It\u2019s time for my Democrat colleagues to do the same.\"\n\nCongressman Brian Babin (TX-36) said: \u201cThe Schumer Shutdown isn\u2019t just hurting the American people\u2014it\u2019s tearing at the very fabric that holds our nation together: our families. Democrats claim they\u2019re fighting for Americans, but their actions say otherwise. Even Democrat Leader Katherine Clark admitted families will suffer because this is \u2018one of the few leverage times we have.\u2019 The day the American people become leverage is the day we\u2019ve failed. This shutdown is about advancing a radical left agenda\u2014funding progressive pet projects, locking in wasteful COVID-era subsidies, and sending billions overseas while our own families pay the price. Democrats say they\u2019re fighting for the people, but the most vulnerable are taking the hardest hit.\u201d\n\nCongressman Don Bacon (NE-02) said: \u201cWhile Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats say they have concern for the American people, they do the exact opposite by voting to keep the government closed. Even the largest public employee unions are asking for the Dems to support the clean CR. We have thousands of federal workers who weren\u2019t paid and more who will not receive their paychecks this month, including air traffic controllers, TSA, agency constituent liaisons, and others. This is putting a strain on food banks and other organizations who are stepping up to help. It\u2019s time to open the government so we can negotiate on healthcare and other appropriations.\u201d\n\nCongressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) said: \u201cChuck Schumer and the Democrats are holding the American people hostage to fund their broken and radical un-Affordable Care Act. Democrats would rather prop up failed policies than put American families first. The Schumer Shutdown is a direct result of the Left\u2019s misplaced priorities and political games.\u201d\n\nCongressman Troy Downing (MT-02) said: \u201cThe Schumer Shutdown is placing the most vulnerable Montanans in harm's way. As it stands, approximately 81,000 SNAP enrollees across the Treasure State will experience a disruption in their benefits if the government doesn't reopen by November 1. On top of that, 14,000 federal workers in Montana are either furloughed or working without pay, threatening their financial security and that of their families. Democrats would even eviscerate $50 billion rural health care funding if given the chance. Enough is enough. It's time to stop playing partisan politics and put the health and wellbeing of American people first.\u201d\n\nCongressman Vince Fong (CA-20) said: \u201cWe\u2019re now almost a month into a completely avoidable government shutdown \u2014 and the cost to the American people is growing by the day. Every day Washington stalls; California\u2019s military families, workers, vulnerable communities, and small businesses pay the price. We must reopen the government immediately and that requires Senate Democrats to be adults in the room and prioritize governing for all Americans, not just the progressive wing of their party.\u201d\n\nCongressman Michael Guest (MS-03) said: \u201cDemocrats shut the government down over the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire in December. These subsidies are a leftover provision from a COVID-era policy meant for the most vulnerable. In reality, Americans far beyond the poverty line are having their health plans subsidized by the federal government, costing taxpayers billions. Now, in order to reopen the government, progressives are demanding an extension of these subsidies at a cost of $500 billion. This is an unserious request and should not be attached to the question of reopening the federal government.\u201d\n\nCongressman Andy Harris (MD-01) said: \u201cWhile American families go without paychecks and small businesses fight to survive, Democrats are holding the government hostage to advance their partisan agenda including trillions in new spending to expand taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, eliminate common-sense work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid, and funnel billions of dollars to health insurance companies. House Republicans are standing up for American workers, families, and pro-life values while Democrats are standing up for illegal aliens.\u201d\n\nCongressman Rich McCormick (GA-07) said: \"Schumer's plan is to get $1.5 trillion while in the minority, which he couldn't pass when he had the House, Senate, and Biden as president. The worst part is that what he wants adds massive debt to our children while stuffing the pockets of big insurance companies. Meanwhile, the average family pays roughly $30,000 in insurance premiums each year with little to show for it. This is simply shameful.\u201d\n\nCongressman Mark Messmer (IN-08) said: \u201cBy shutting down the federal government, Democrats are taking advantage of struggling Americans and playing dangerous political games with the U.S. economy. It is unfair that they are holding taxpayers hostage in an attempt to advance their radical agenda. As federal food assistance programs run out of money, pregnant mothers, newborns, farmers, and our troops are being punished. It is time for Democrats to let the government reopen and stop terrorizing our country with these cruel and unnecessary tactics.\u201d\n\nCongressman Barry Moore (AL-01) said:\u201cThe Schumer Shutdown is hurting hardworking American families while Democrats play politics with people\u2019s paychecks. Every day this shutdown drags on, more families feel the pain, not because of House Republicans, but because Democrats are fighting to extend a taxpayer-funded healthcare scheme that forces Americans to foot the bill for illegal immigrants - all while our troops, farmers, and federal workers are left without pay.\u201d\n\nCongressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) said: \u201cEvery day this shutdown drags on, East Texas families pay the price. The Schumer Shutdown is not a win for the American people; it\u2019s a political maneuver motivated by hatred of President Trump. In the end, taxpayers foot a higher bill. And, in the meantime, government services and programs important to taxpayers like are disrupted, earned pay is at risk or stops altogether for many still working like those in the military, air traffic control, TSA and border patrol. A government shutdown doesn\u2019t save taxpayer money; it costs more. It disrupts vital services, delays assistance, and puts unnecessary strain on those who keep our nation secure. House Republicans have acted responsibly to keep the government open, but Senate Democrats continue to block those efforts. Political gamesmanship has gone on for far too long, and it\u2019s time for Democrats to put American families first. It is time to re-open the government and get back to work for the American people.\u201d\n\nCongressman Bob Onder (MO-03) said: \u201cFifteen years ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law, and as a doctor, I am uniquely qualified to say it has moved our health care system in the wrong direction. Premiums have gone up by 150 percent, and hardworking Missouri families have lost control over their healthcare. That\u2019s completely unacceptable. The American people deserve real, affordable, high-quality care that puts patients, not Washington bureaucrats, first.\u201d\n\nCongressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) said:\u201cCongressional Democrats are using the suffering of American families as political leverage. Government shutdowns should never be used as a political negotiating tactic. Democrats must come to their senses and immediately pass the clean continuing resolution to reopen the government.\u201d\n\nCongressman Dale Strong (AL- 05) said: \u201cDemocrats have manufactured this shutdown to use as political leverage, holding American families hostage to push their partisan priorities. They\u2019ve created a sideshow to distract from their own failures and are now putting politics over the basic responsibility of keeping the government open. This is a Democrat-made crisis, and hardworking Americans are the ones paying the price.\u201d\n\nCongressman Randy Weber (TX-14) said: \"As this Schumer Shutdown drags on, thousands on top of thousands of hardworking families are wondering how they\u2019ll put food on the table for their kids while Democrats are more focused on funding projects overseas and benefits for illegal immigrants. That tells you everything you need to know.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-values-action-team-chairman-robert-aderholt-and-vat-members"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0367701761424541, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}