Tonight, after weeks of refusing to negotiate in good faith, the billionaire-backed GOP majority in Congress forced a government shutdown. They refused to compromise on their cuts to Medicaid and elimination of the health Premium Tax Credits—programs that help millions of Americans access life-saving care. This shutdown follows Congress’s passage of Trump’s “Big Ugly” bill , which implements $1 trillion  in tax cuts for the top 1% while mandating a $1 trillion cut  to Medicaid.

“President Trump and the billionaire-backed GOP majority has created an unnecessary crisis to impose their regressive policy,” said David Kass, ATF Executive Director. “They’ve known all along they wanted to cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and eliminate Affordable Care tax credits to fund their tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations. Now they’re threatening to withhold all government funding if they don’t get their way. Congress should not allow this deeply damaging agenda which will cause immense damage to average Americans by increasing premiums, restricting access to healthcare, and disrupting essential government programs that working families rely on.”