ICYMI: U.S. Senator Katie Britt Joins Linsey Davis On ABC News Live Prime

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) joined Linsey Davis on ABC News Live Prime to discuss the ongoing Democrat government shutdown and its far-reaching consequences. She highlighted recent discussions with Alabamians who have been affected by the Democrats holding the government hostage and how using the expiring Un-Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies as leverage is disingenuous to the American people.

On hearing from Alabamians about the effects of the Democrat shutdown:

“This weekend I traveled all over the state of Alabama. I talked to people who had been furloughed. I talked to small business owners who said, look, we can’t make it one more week. I talked to people who felt like … we were way out of touch up here, not making sure that the resources they depended on were there. And so, I think we’ve got to get back and make sure that the Democrats open the government so that people can get their paycheck, so that WIC can continue, and truly so that things like food stamps don’t run out. There are real issues that are coming to play because of the politics that Democrats are playing.” 

On the hypocrisy of Democrats setting the expiration date for enhanced ACA subsidies and then blaming Republicans: 

“When you look at this ACA conversation that Democrats are bringing into the fold here, look, this is a problem of their own making… These Covid-era subsidies that they’re talking about right now began in 2021, renewed in 2022. They themselves actually set the deadline in 2025 for the expiration of these subsidies…What we’re hearing from people is that there is fraud in these, that there is abuse, and … it’s not necessary for people who may be millionaires or make $600,000 a year to receive these. So, if these are going to continue, you certainly have to make sure that there are reforms so that things are sustainable.

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“What Democrats are showing here is they know the system that they created is absolutely broken. And so, they are clamoring for someone to blame, and they are doing their best to latch on to this.”

On the urgency of ending the Democrat shutdown and consequences for hardworking Americans: 

“[M]oney is running out and people will go without their SNAP benefits as soon as the end of this month or the very beginning of the next month … These are real consequences. And this is what I wish my Democrat colleagues would realize. They can open the government today, vote on a clean CR. Linsey, you have been doing this a long time. You know that this bill is just something that they have voted on 13 times. Republicans did not put any type of nugget in there. No Republican priority. [O]ur only priority was the American people.”

On her decision to withhold her Senate paycheck:

“I will not take a paycheck when people are not getting their SNAP benefits. I will not take a paycheck when people who are working at FAA to keep our skies safe are not getting one. I will not … take a paycheck when we’re not sure how we’re going to pay the military when their next paycheck comes. And so, I would hope that every one of my Democratic colleagues who continue to vote no on these CRs to open back up the government and give people the benefits and the and the pay that they deserve, will withhold their pay as well. And so that’s how I square it up. I’m not taking it. I think that we need to lead by example. And certainly, the people who are keeping us from opening this government should do the same.”

You can watch Senator Britt’s full remarks here.

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