Amo: 40,000 Rhode Islanders’ healthcare at risk in shutdown

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island’s congressional delegation responded to the government shutdown on Wednesday.

Senator Jack Reed (D) shared the following:

“President Trump controls every branch of government and his failed policies are about to cause insurance premiums to spike upwards of 75 percent for tens of millions of Americans, with millions more set to lose their coverage and access to health care in the weeks ahead. There is urgent need for bipartisan action, but instead, President Trump is forcing a government shutdown.

Since taking office, President Trump has enriched himself and his cronies while his tariffs fuel inflation and his policies drive up the costs of everything from food to electricity to medicine for everyday Americans. He has ignored Congress, flouted the law, and his partisan enablers refuse to provide real checks and balances that the Framers established.

Democrats are seeking to responsibly fund the government and protect your health care. I urge President Trump not to force a government shutdown.

If the government shuts down, it’s because Donald Trump puts his personal grievances first and wants to further test the limits of his power. We already know a Trump shutdown would be costly, wasteful, and needlessly disruptive. A shutdown should be avoided, but Democrats can’t force Trump to put the needs of Americans above his own whims.

I will continue working to reach a principled compromise that helps save your health care. And I am ready and willing to help negotiate a binding bipartisan solution that puts our country on a stronger, more secure, and prosperous trajectory.

Regardless of whether the Trump Administration shuts down the government and causes millions to lose or pay more for health care, my office will continue working to assist Rhode Islanders, save our health care system, and deliver for our state. And I will do everything I can to hold President Trump accountable.”

Senator Sheldon White House (D) shared the following statement:

“Trump and his creepy billionaire backers are trying to swamp the country in chaos, this time by shuttering the federal government. Republicans may control the White House, the Senate, and the House, but they do not want to govern. Speaker Johnson, petrified of a vote to release the Epstein files, has not even brought House Republicans to Washington to make any attempt at solving this.

Democrats will use every bit of leverage we have to swiftly end both the Republican-created health care cost crisis and the widespread misery of this Trump shutdown.  For the good of the country, Republican leaders need to start engaging in basic bipartisanship to protect the legislative branch’s power of the purse – a constitutional check on a runaway executive.”

Congressman Seth Magaziner (D) released the following statement:

“Rhode Islanders are facing a health care crisis, with costs set to increase dramatically due to Republican funding cuts. It is unacceptable that with the government about to shut down and the health care system in crisis, House Republicans left Washington and are on vacation.

I am in Washington, ready to do my job to pass a budget that keeps the government open and protects health care funding, but House Republicans need to return to Washington at once to do their jobs.”

Congressman Gabe Amo (D) shared the following statement:

“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans had a choice: protect the ability of 22 million Americans and 40,000 Rhode Islanders to pay for their health care or shut down the government and put millions of federal workers and essential services in jeopardy.

Just like they have done at every turn over the last nine months, Trump and Congressional Republicans — who control the White House, Senate, and the House — chose to stand against the American people.

I spoke with more than 17,000 Rhode Islanders at a telephone town hall tonight about this harmful Republican shutdown and what I am doing to hold Trump accountable.

To end the pending shutdown, Republicans need to negotiate a bipartisan agreement that puts the American people first.

We work for the people who vote for us, who have long said to lower their costs. But Republicans once again stood against the American people and chose to shut the government down.

I stand ready to support Rhode Islanders through the pain that Republicans are causing. Democrats are in Washington to make a deal to stop the cuts, lower costs, and save health care. The time to act is now.”

ABC6 News has reached out to the state’s Republican party leaders for a response and are waiting to hear back.