Majority Leader | Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Repub...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMRemarks10.29.25Thune to Schumer’s Shutdown Senators: This Isn’t a Political Game, It’s People’s Livelihoods“What Democrats are doing here, they’re making plans to keep the shutdown going, and they realize all of a sudden, 29 days in, that this is a real consequence, real-life pain for American families.” Click here to watch the video.WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):“Mr. President, thank you.“Reserving the right to object.“Let me just point out, if I might, that we are 29 days into a Democrat shutdown.“And the senator from New Mexico is absolutely right; SNAP recipients shouldn’t go without food.“People should be getting paid in this country.“And we’ve tried to do that 13 times!“And you voted no 13 times!“This isn’t a political game.“These are real people’s lives that we’re talking about.“And you all just figured out – 29 days in – that, oh, there might be some consequences!“There are people running out of money.“Yeah, we’re 29 days in, and [the Trump administration has] done their best to make sure that a lot of these programs are funded.“But at some point the government runs out of money.“Thirteen times, people over here voted to fund SNAP.“Thirteen times they voted to fund WIC.[…]“Finally realized this thing has consequences.“Well, you know what?“What Democrats are doing here, they’re making plans to keep the shutdown going, and they realize all of a sudden, 29 days in, that this is a real consequence, real-life pain for American families.“Something that results from their shutdown.“So, are they making plans to end the shutdown and reopen the government?“Nope.“They’re going to propose a bill to fund food stamps during their shutdown.“Mr. President, this request is a transparent admission that Democrats want to keep the shutdown – for what, another month?“Longer?“This bill is a cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown for the long term!“Now, I’ll point out: We did 13 short-term, clean CRs when they had the majority and President Biden was in the White House.“Thirteen.“They’ve now voted 13 times against a clean CR.[…]“I have no idea where you’re coming from.“The Democrat leader said that President Trump could end this with a stroke of his pen – and he’s right!“We pass that bill, with a stroke of his pen, he’ll sign it into law, and the government opens up.“And SNAP beneficiaries, SNAP recipients, get food assistance.“But you know what else?“TSA workers get paid.“Air traffic controllers get paid.“Border Patrol agents get paid.“Troops get paid.“These people here get paid, who are working without pay.“You want to extend that and keep that going?“Give me a break.“So the people who aren’t going to get the benefit of what they’re trying to do today, Mr. President, are all the other programs that are affected.“Head Start.“Grants to law enforcement to fight fentanyl and hire more cops to protect communities.“Rural Development programs that are important in my state – senator from New Mexico’s state, I assume as well – that support housing, utilities, infrastructure projects in rural communities.“Small business loans.“Certain direct loan and emergency programs that farmers rely on.“National Guard training, critical to our nation’s military readiness.“Veterans transition assistance as they come out of service.“Veterans cemetery services.“Right now there are no headstones, memorial certificates, cemetery maintenance.“Programs that are at risk: Rental and housing assistance, delays in processing FHA-insured loans, delays in aircraft inspections and maintenance for air traffic control equipment.“People that are currently not getting paid: I mentioned some of them, but air traffic controllers; TSA officers; Capitol Police, the people who protect us in this building; NOAA employees, who are tracking hurricanes and other potential weather disruptions, disasters; food inspectors; other food and drug safety officials; mine safety inspectors.“People who don’t have pay certainty right now: troops, Coast Guard, ICE, Border Patrol, federal law enforcement, … federal wildland … firefighters.“Extenders that have lapsed: telehealth and at-home care, community health centers, teaching health centers, special diabetes programs, payments for ambulances, hospital-at-home services.“Other lapsed authorizations: CISA, to prevent against cyber attacks; National Flood Insurance Program to prevent … closure … on homes in flood zones.“That’s what you’re leaving on the table.“The bill at the desk takes care of all of it – funds SNAP, funds WIC, and yes, with the stroke of the president’s pen, he can sign it into law and everybody starts getting paid again.“This has got to stop – hostage-taking, now you want some political cover.“How long is this going to go on?“How much longer do you want to see it go on, just out of curiosity?“So you think this buys some time.“You want the shutdown to go on for another month, or?“And then we’re going to have another people come down here and, ‘Well, let’s carve this out, or carve this out.’“Why don’t we just open the government?“I’ve never seen anything like this.“I’ve been here a good amount of time.“I’ve seen continuing resolutions and appropriations problems and funding fights and government shutdowns.“I’ve been through a few.“I’ve never seen anything like this.“This just isn’t done.“You want to have a discussion about health care?“Absolutely. Let’s do it.“Open the government, let’s do it.“The president will sit down with Democrats next week if you want to talk about health care.“That’s not what this is about.“So Mr. President, we’re not going to pick winners and losers.“It’s time to fund everybody who’s experiencing the pain from this shutdown.“The Democrats really want to fund SNAP and WIC?“I have a bill for them sitting right there at the desk – clean, nonpartisan CR to fund SNAP, WIC, and the entire government, and all the many programs and people that the Democrats’ SNAP bill completely ignores.“Mr. President, Democrats have spent a month – a month, now – playing with people’s livelihoods because the far-left wing of their party won’t let them accept a clean, nonpartisan CR.“If they want to prevent damage from their shutdown, they can end the shutdown.“The bill is right here at the desk.“So Mr. President, I ask that the senator from New Mexico modify his request so that the Senate can proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 168, H.R. 5371, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
