WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) issued the following statement regarding the government shutdown:
“Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate and control the White House. They have decided to shut down the federal government instead of working with Democrats to create a bipartisan solution to lower costs and protect affordable healthcare for the American people.
“By refusing to negotiate, Republicans will allow the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits to expire. Families across the country, including my constituents in the Fifth District, will be left to deal with the repercussions.
If the ACA tax credits expire, the cost for people in the CT-05 is significant:
- 23,000 people in CT-05 will see their health care costs rise if Republicans let critical tax credits expire.
- Families of four earning $64,000 will see their costs rise by $2,571, a 1945% increase.
- Current estimates show Americans will see their out-of-pocket premiums increase by 114%.
“Furthermore, this shutdown freezes vital services my constituents rely on. It jeopardizes paychecks for federal workers, delays benefits for our veterans, and halts critical food and safety inspections. Even programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) which serves nearly half a million pregnant women and roughly 40 percent of all infants, will be tested if the shutdown continues.
“Most concerning, this shutdown highlights the cruelty of the budget put forth by the Republican conference and the President, who have been intent on dismantling essential government services from the beginning. The cuts to federal services do not address our debt, instead they take from our most vulnerable to give permanent tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals. About 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed daily, affecting the services that reach my constituents.
“I remain committed to working towards a solution, while maintaining my commitment to protect the healthcare of Americans and fund the federal government at acceptable levels. I implore House Republicans to return to Washington and work in a bipartisan manner to fund the federal government.”