House Members left town after the vote, leaving the fate of the government in the hands of the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that Democrats will block the CR and cause the government to “shut down.” They claim to prefer a short-term “clean CR” (one that does not have the funding cuts) that will expire in April. The real reason to support short-term CRs is to push back consideration of the budget reconciliation bill that will implement the Trump agenda. However, not all Democrats share the same sentiments. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has doubled down on his commitment to keep the government open.
Minority Leader Schumer is not so naïve to assume that the Senate will miraculously craft a bipartisan appropriations package in just a few short weeks like he has been touting. He’s making a promise he can’t keep even if a short-term CR were to pass.
The Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on Thursday morning which needs 60 votes to move to final passage. Currently, there appears to be no “Plan B” if the House bill does not get eight Democrat votes that are needed to proceed.
Clearly, Democrats are still bitter about President Trump’s election win and the rapid actions he has taken in the first two months. The President’s cabinet nominees were confirmed in record time. Now, they are moving to other nominees who are cutting through the false narrative that Democrats are pushing daily. One of these nominees will have a hearing on Friday right before a potential government shutdown. Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has been nominated to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will have to face questions regarding plans for these programs under the Trump administration.
In front of the Senate Finance Committee, Dr. Oz will likely give answers on whether he will cut benefits to Medicare and Medicaid recipients. This has been a talking point from the Left since DOGE and Republicans have begun cutting the fat from other parts of the government. Democrats are spreading fear among those who need these programs and ignoring the fact that money is diverted from the truly needy because of all the fraud and waste in these programs. We simply cannot afford not to clean up Medicaid.
As Rachel Barkley says about the Medicaid program in an op-ed in The Hill:
Congress should refocus the program on its original intent: vulnerable Americans, especially those with disabilities who have nowhere else to turn for health coverage.
She mentions that the program was never intended to become the largest single source of health coverage in the nation. Obamacare expanded this coverage to “work-capable, able-bodied childless adults.” Now, over 700,000 people with disabilities are on a waitlist to receive coverage, while those who can work are allowed to take their place.
From 2015 to 2024, Medicaid identified $543 billion in improper payments. This did not include errors on eligibility checks which tend to be the biggest source of errors. The Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) estimated these errors cost the taxpayers $1.1 trillion. Correcting errors, providing internal controls, stopping payments to ineligible or dead recipients, and giving these services to those who need them most would save the American people millions if not billions, each year. The real question is why are so many Democrats opposed to such reforms?
Capitol Hill is a busy place these days. The government should stay open to continue this hard work, especially holding hearings on President Trump’s nominees to ensure they are well-suited for the job and capable of implementing the American people’s will. To keep up with the latest news about the progress of Trump’s agenda, make sure you are an Eagle Forum Member and that you are signed up for our emails and alerts by visiting our website here.
