Iowa Republicans Let Federal Government Move Toward a Shutdown to Avoid Protecting Iowans’ Health Care

Des Moines – Iowa Republicans helped pass the largest cut to health care in history by voting for the Big, Beautiful Bill which is now turning ugly for 110,000 Iowans who will be kicked off their health insurance. Now, our Republican Congressional representatives are creating another crisis for their constituents. 

The government will shut down on October 1 unless the Republicans who are in charge can figure out a deal. Iowa’s Republican leaders are not helping their leaders work out a solution, but instead seem to be failing Iowans again and listening to Donald Trump, who told them: “Don’t even bother dealing with the [Democrats].”

Democrats are trying to negotiate with Trump – who canceled a meeting with them earlier this week – to stop so many Iowans from getting kicked off their health insurance. Democrats are asking Republicans to reverse a proposal they approved earlier this year that cuts Medicaid and raises Americans’ health care premiums by 75 percent.

Make no mistake: This will be a Republican-led shutdown.

In response, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart released the following statement:

“Republicans in Congress would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats. They are failing to prevent a massive health care crisis for thousands of Iowans when we can least afford it. Iowa’s Republican representatives are responsible for skyrocketing health insurance premiums, and now, they won’t even come to the table with Democrats who are trying to lower costs for Iowa families. When Democrats gave Republicans an opportunity to reverse the devastating cuts to health care that are expected to kick 110,000 Iowans off their health insurance, Republicans flat-out rejected it. While Republicans are barreling towards a government shutdown that would throw the economy into even more chaos, Democrats are united: Cancel the cuts, lower costs and save health care for Iowans.”

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