In the News

Today, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) joined Bloomberg’s “The Close” to discuss government funding and the Democrats’ looming shutdown.

Click here or above to watch Whip Emmer on Bloomberg’s “The Close.”

Whip Emmer on a potential government shutdown:

“First off, the House Republicans actually did the reasonable and responsible thing by passing a completely clean continuing resolution. It’s about a 7-week resolution to November 21 – the purpose of which is to allow the Republicans and Democrats who are involved in a conference committee as we speak to finish their work on appropriations bills so we can start to move back towards a regular appropriations process. They believe they’re close. This gives them a little time to finish those negotiations and see if they can wrap those up. In the meantime, what we sent is exactly what Democrats in the Senate supported just six months ago, Katie. And more importantly, it’s the exact same thing that they voted on 13 times under the Biden administration. I’m hopeful that they’re going to come to their senses, and when I say they, it’s really Chuck Schumer in the Senate, and that he will keep the government open because a shutdown does no one any good. And if he does choose to shut it down, it’ll be the Chuck Schumer shutdown.”

Whip Emmer on the Democrats’ absurd list of demands:

“What Chuck Schumer says and what actually is the case, what he’s asking for, are two completely different things. What he’s asking for is another $1.5 trillion in spending. What he wants to use it for is to put 1.4 million illegal aliens back on taxpayer-funded health care. What he’s asking for is $500 million for radical news outlets…What he’s asking for is to cut $50 billion from rural health care. So when he’s talking about we’ve got to get serious about health care, I’m not sure where he’s coming from. It sounds like he wants to give illegal aliens taxpayer-funded health care and cut rural Americans’ health care. The clean CR is the right thing to do. He knows it. Everyone in this town knows it. If he shuts the government down tonight, it is the Schumer shutdown and he’s the one who’s going to bear responsibility.”

Whip Emmer’s message to Minnesotans affected by a shutdown:

“Call Chuck Schumer. My message is call Chuck Schumer. Tell him that this is not going to work for the 20,000-35,000 Minnesotans who are either federal employees or federal contractors. It’s not going to work for families who rely on different federal programs. This is not the right thing to do, and Chuck Schumer knows that. He’s acting purely based on political instincts rather than what’s right for the American people. I say yes, I’m concerned. Call Chuck Schumer. Tell him, Chuck, don’t shut the government down. Let’s keep it open. Let’s make sure that Republicans and Democrats can continue their work and get this government funded for the long term.”

Whip Emmer on potential OMB furloughs:

“If you want to avoid any of those furloughs or even beyond that that has been discussed, do the right thing. Chuck Schumer should pass the Republican clean CR. It’s not partisan. Again, it’s something that Democrats have done 13 times before under Biden. Romaine, what’s changed? Nothing’s changed except the guy that’s in the White House. So don’t do it based on your like or dislike for the President of the United States. Do it because it’s the right thing to do for the American people, and if you don’t, they’re the ones that are going to answer for it. Chuck Schumer and Democrats are going to answer for a shutdown.”

Whip Emmer on whether some Democrats will break ranks and vote for the House-passed CR:

“You have a lot of different senators out there, who their constituents will be impacted and they’re going to have to go down and explain to them, ‘Well I had a chance to keep the government open and I wasn’t giving anything to Republicans, I was keeping it exactly the way it is, but I chose not to because Chuck Schumer was afraid of losing his job.’ I think do the right thing, be responsible. We have people in the Senate who have a very difficult choice.”