Watch: John Thune speaks during rare Saturday session on government shutdown

Key Concepts

• Government Shutdown: A situation where non-essential government functions cease due to a failure to pass appropriations bills.
• Obamacare (Affordable Care Act - ACA): A landmark healthcare law passed by Democrats without Republican support, aiming to increase health insurance coverage and affordability.
• Taxpayer Subsidies: Financial assistance provided by the government to individuals or entities, in this context, for health insurance premiums.
• Continuing Resolution (CR): A type of appropriations legislation that provides budget authority for a limited period, typically to avoid a government shutdown.
• Maximalist Position: An extreme or uncompromising stance in political negotiations.
• Nonstarter: A proposal or idea that is unlikely to be accepted or considered.
• Appropriations Bills: Legislation that provides funding for government programs and operations.

Government Shutdown and Democratic Stance

Senator Thune expresses relief that Democrats are finally considering reopening the government after a 38-day shutdown. He criticizes their initial "maximalist and, frankly, insane position," citing a quote from a House Democrat urging the prolongation of the shutdown. Thune notes that Democrats have now "backed down" from their previous stance.

Republican Opposition to Democratic Healthcare Proposal

Thune labels the Democratic leader's proposal as a "nonstarter" for the Republican majority. He argues that it is not a genuine compromise but rather an attempt to allocate "tens of billions more taxpayer dollars" to a program that even Democrats acknowledge has failed to lower healthcare costs. He asserts that the American people are weary of Washington spending their money on ineffective government programs.

Critique of Obamacare and its Promises

Thune reiterates the Republican perspective that Obamacare, passed 15 years prior without any Republican votes, has failed to deliver on its promises. He specifically refutes claims that individuals could keep their insurance or doctors, and that premium costs would decrease. Instead, he states that "premium costs will go up" and that Obamacare "drove premium prices higher."

American Rescue Plan and Extended Subsidies

Thune points to the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which he attributes to initiating a "years-long inflation crisis," as the vehicle through which Democrats, again without Republican support, created "bigger taxpayer subsidies." He further notes that in another partisan bill in 2022, these subsidies were extended through the end of the current year, with Democrats choosing the expiration date and thus creating a "cliff." Thune accuses Democrats of attempting to blame Republicans for this situation.

Republican Position on Funding and Healthcare Reform

Senator Thune states that Republicans will not "further burden taxpayers by blindly extending a flawed program." He characterizes the Democratic proposal as a means of "masking rising premiums and padding insurance companies' profits with more taxpayer dollars."

Proposed Solution: Clean Funding Extension

Thune advocates for a "clean funding extension" as the sole path to reopening the government. He highlights that the House has already passed such a bill, which the President supports and would sign. He believes the Senate is only a "handful of votes away" from passing this bill, which has been pending for 38 days.

Path Forward: Reopening and Then Addressing Healthcare

Thune proposes a two-step approach: first, reopen the government, and then begin discussions on addressing the "healthcare mess that Democrats created." He references a statement from the Democratic Whip, who acknowledged the need to reopen the government before addressing healthcare costs and advancing appropriations bills. Thune states he has been advocating for this approach for approximately six weeks.

Call for Bipartisan Support for a Clean CR

Thune expresses hope that the Democratic Whip and other Democrats will join the three Democrats already supporting a "clean continuing resolution," which he identifies as the only bill capable of ending the shutdown. He concludes by urging his colleagues to support a clean continuing resolution to facilitate a "real discussion" on healthcare, resume the regular appropriations process, and provide relief to the American people.