Sen. Joni Ernst blasted Democrats on Thursday for “intentionally making families suffer” amid the ongoing government shutdown, accusing them of using Americans’ hardship as political leverage.
During an appearance on Newsmax’s “National Report,” the Iowa Republican said the GOP has already presented “a clean continuing resolution under President Biden’s budget numbers.
“These are the Democrats’ budget numbers, and they’re refusing to pass them because they know the more American families suffer, the more maybe they can get ahead in their own personal agenda here in the United States Congress,” Ernst said.
“They are intentionally making families suffer, and it is shameful,” she continued. “There is absolutely no excuse for this. What we’re voting on in the United States Senate — and what they voted on in the House — is a clean continuing resolution.”
Ernst, who serves on both the Senate Homeland Security and Armed Services committees, also called out House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., for remarks the Democrat made on a podcast acknowledging that families will face hardship during the shutdown.
“Shame on her. Shame on the Democrats for not coming forward, doing the right thing, and putting Americans first,” Ernst said. “They’re putting politics first — and right in charge of that is [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer. He is leading this charge. Shame on him.”
Clark, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, had said earlier this week that while “families are going to suffer,” Democrats view the standoff as “one of the few times we have leverage.”
As the government shutdown enters its 23rd day, Democrats are urging Republicans to consider changes related to health care — specifically, Affordable Care Act tax credits scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
Republicans say their proposal already meets Democrats’ demands, while Democrats continue to push for broader negotiations tied to health care provisions and federal spending priorities.
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