Democrats’ Latest Shutdown Demands Prove Fight Isn’t About Health Care: Rep Emmer [WATCH]

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) said Democrats’ counterproposal during ongoing negotiations over the government shutdown reveals that the dispute was never truly about health care.

Speaking on Breitbart News Saturday, Emmer said Senate Democrats’ requests for more spending prove that the issue centers on expanding government programs, not protecting the Affordable Care Act.

“I don’t think you can believe a thing that comes out of Chuck Schumer’s mouth. This whole thing about ‘this is about health care’ — you already know this, Matt. If it was about health care, why did they file a counter offer in writing in the Senate that is 68 pages long?” Emmer said, noting that Democrats demanded an additional $1.5 trillion in spending as part of their proposal.

According to Emmer, only one and a half pages of the Senate Democrats’ counterproposal focused on the health care issue they claimed was at the center of the shutdown.

“Fact of the matter is, it is the Affordable Care Act that has caused the problem,” he said, adding that Democrats, not Republicans, were responsible for its creation and impact on the health insurance market.

“It’s not affordable. Since they created this law of the land, insurance premiums for families across this country are up 80 percent,” Emmer said.

He argued that Democrats are now using temporary pandemic-era tax credits as a justification to increase spending.

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“They’re telling you this is about trying to extend those temporary tax credits that were created during COVID, which they’re telling us now, Democrats had it expiring at the end of December, because they were only supposed to be temporary because of the extraordinary measures they claim they had to take during COVID in the pandemic,” he said.

Emmer said Democrats are now insisting those tax credits must be renewed to avoid a collapse of the system.

“People who are listening should recognize this is a further condemnation by the Democrats themselves, and an admission that their Affordable Care Act has actually made health care unaffordable in this country,” he stated.

The Minnesota Republican accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of political showmanship rather than genuine negotiation.

Chuck Schumer is way past his prime and is desperate to hold onto his leadership position.

The Democrat shutdown has zero interest in helping hardworking Americans; it is a selfish game just to score political points. pic.twitter.com/igREFtnEQi

— Tom Emmer (@tomemmer) November 8, 2025

“He’s up there saying, ‘We’re prepared to get Republicans to reopen this government, but we need a one-year extension of the temporary enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act,’” Emmer said.

“By the way, something just one month ago, Hakeem Jeffries called a quote ‘non starter.’ Jeffries is a clown. He’s now flip-flopped and he says he supports Schumer.”

Emmer said the situation shows that Democrats are focused on political gains rather than solving the shutdown.

“At the end of the day, this is a big political game to the Democrats — a game where no one is a winner and the American people are the loser,” he said.

He also criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting efforts to ensure federal employees are paid during the shutdown.

“You want to know how disingenuous, dishonest they are?” Emmer said.

“Late yesterday afternoon, the Senate brought up a bill again to pay federal employees like air traffic controllers, military, and border patrol agents. But guess what, Matt, for a second time, Democrats are the ones that voted it down.”

Emmer’s remarks came as negotiations in Washington remain stalled.

Democrats have pushed for a temporary extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits and new spending measures tied to social programs, while Republicans have focused on budget reductions and ending what they describe as unsustainable federal expansion.

The standoff has left funding for multiple federal agencies in question, including departments responsible for national defense, transportation, and border operations.

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