Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders Demand Health Benefits Amid Government Shutdown

Washington, DC — During a CNN town hall on Wednesday night, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders criticized Republicans for their inaction regarding the ongoing government shutdown.

The event, moderated by Kaitlan Collins, highlighted the divide between Democrats and Republicans as the shutdown continues. Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic congresswoman from New York, accused House Speaker Mike Johnson of prioritizing “inane and silly” issues instead of addressing the federal funding crisis.

Both Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders warned that without Republican cooperation, the health care system could be at risk. They are advocating for an extension of subsidies for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

Democrats are united in their stance, insisting they will not fund the government without an agreement from Republicans on health care subsidies. However, Republican leaders maintain that they want to reopen the government first before discussing health care policy.

Ocasio-Cortez, who once worked for Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, expressed her determination not to support any short-term funding measures. “I don’t accept IOUs. I don’t accept pinky promises. That’s not the business that I’m in,” she stated.

Sanders humorously agreed, commenting on the trustworthiness of President Donald Trump‘s commitments. Ocasio-Cortez elaborated that Democrats would not settle for temporary fixes that could lead to rising health insurance premiums.

Republicans have shown little interest in addressing the ACA subsidies, leaving many federal workers in a difficult position without paychecks. Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the urgency to resolve the disputes as quickly as possible, acknowledging the hardships faced by federal employees.

The Democrats’ hardline stance may lead to painful conversations with those affected most by the shutdown. A federal worker expressed concerns about feeding his family, while another woman highlighted her risk of losing housing due to delays.

Amidst Republican criticism, Ocasio-Cortez defended her party’s actions, labeling suggestions that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer‘s strategy was influenced by a potential primary challenge from her as absurd.

She reiterated that the focus should remain on pressing issues affecting Americans, rather than political gossip.

Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders collectively criticized the House GOP leadership for keeping the House out of session this past month. “I’ve never seen people who hate working so much in my life,” Ocasio-Cortez remarked, asserting that a lack of action only exacerbates the funding deadlock.

Both lawmakers have called for Republicans to return to Washington to negotiate effectively and find a solution to the standstill over health care funding.