Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, led by GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, making the argument that Republicans have a winning hand when it comes to messaging over the government shutdown \u2014 even as the stalemate drags on into a 15th day.<\/p>\n
To the group\u2019s chair, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., that\u2019s because the ball is solidly in the Democrats\u2019 court.<\/p>\n
‘We\u2019re in the second week of a shutdown with no end in sight. Hopefully, the Senate Democrats change their minds and decide to reopen the government. But until then, the Republicans are standing together,’ Harris said.<\/p>\n
During the call, members doubled down on support for the clean-spending extension Republicans advanced last month \u2014 not just as a matter of policy, but also as a facet of public opinion.<\/p>\n
‘I think if the American people understand the truth, they will put pressure on their Democratic senators to actually open up the government,’ McClain said.<\/p>\n
Republicans need the support of at least seven Democrats in the Senate to clear the 60-vote threshold to pass spending legislation over a filibuster. The GOP holds 53 seats in the chamber.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Congress remains gridlocked over funding allocations for the 2026 fiscal year which began at the start of October. Although Republicans had advanced a short-term spending plan to keep the government open through Nov. 21, the government entered a shutdown on Oct. 1 when Democrats made it clear they wouldn\u2019t support any spending extension without a key add-on: the continuation of emergency, COVID-era healthcare subsidies set to expire at the end of 2025.<\/p>\n
‘We passed it clean, no gimmicks. No gimmicks, no tricks, just at the exact same funding levels, of which, I might add, the Democrats put in place, that they voted for 13 times ago, as recently as March. But Democrats killed it,’ McClain said, referring to the Republican-led stopgap legislation.<\/p>\n
Republicans have framed the standoff as a Democrat attempt to take the government hostage over bloated government programs that would add billions to the country\u2019s expenses.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Democrats see the shutdown as a Republican refusal to negotiate over healthcare \u2014 one that will spike the monthly premiums of anyone currently relying on the expanded COVID-era subsidies to pay for Obamacare health insurance plans.<\/p>\n
Members of the Freedom Caucus said that consideration of some sort of tax-credit extension is still out of the question. <\/p>\n
‘The bottom line is that the COVID-era enhancements have to end. Should we be looking at other reforms to Obamacare to stop the upward spiral of insurance premiums? Sure, we should. But to discuss, again, COVID-era enhancements as the Democrats want to do is a complete nonstarter,’ Rep. Keith Self, R-Tx., said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
That\u2019s of particular focus to the House Freedom Caucus; since its formation in 2015, the group has always had its eye on reeling in government spending.<\/p>\n
Some members of the caucus noted that it’s unusual for the group to support a clean-funding extension at levels the group believes are too high to begin with.<\/p>\n
‘We’ve given [in] to the Democrats by extending the Biden policies, Biden funding. We could put Republican priorities \u2014 Republican funding requests on this, but we didn’t. So, we have already given [in] on this. They are demanding more. Well, not this time,’ Harris said. <\/p>\n
As the shutdown enters a third week, neither side has signaled an intent to blink any time soon.<\/p>\n
The Senate will consider spending legislation again on Thursday. If it fails, it will mark the 10th time Democrats have rejected the Republican-led spending extension.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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