As the government shutdown nears its fifth week, I feel compelled to join the flood of other articles written about this topic.
As of this writing, Republicans in Congress have attempted more than a dozen times to pass a “clean continuing resolution” — also known as a clean CR, which maintains current government spending — to keep the lights on. However, Congress needs 60 votes in the Senate to pass a clean CR, and there are only 53 Republican senators. Democrats in the Senate have stopped the bill each time.
Led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrats have offered a counterproposal that includes $1.5 trillion in additional spending. And it’s what they’ve included in that spending bill that highlights a key difference between congressional Republicans’ and Democrats’ priorities.
In the Democrats’ counterproposal, they are fighting to reinstate wasteful spending that Republicans put a stop to in the Big Beautiful Bill this summer. Examples of that spending include $500 million to fund liberal news outlets through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, $24.6 million on climate resilience in Honduras, and $3.9 million for LGBTQ democracy grants in the Western Balkans.
In addition, the Democrats’ counterproposal would reverse a key Republican legislative victory in the Big Beautiful Bill: the prohibition on taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants. The media claims that is not true, but time and again, House Speaker Mike Johnson has pointed out the exact line in the Democrats’ plan (Page 57, Sec. 2141). The facts don’t lie, and I appreciate the Trump administration and Speaker Johnson for calling this out and quoting chapter and verse.
I’m fully aware that we’ve had government shutdowns in the past, but the priorities here are completely preposterous. Democrats are willing to grind everything to a halt — including the pay of our military service members — all so they can advocate for illegal immigrants and wasteful spending on projects overseas?
As an Army Reserve veteran and the daughter of a World War II veteran, I find the Democrats’ priorities to be completely out of touch.
On the other hand, Republicans are fighting to prevent this wasteful spending and keep our troops paid. And let’s be clear: Many Republicans don’t like the current spending levels in the clean CR, but they are willing to support it in order to keep our troops paid. Democrats, on the other hand, are willing to hold our troops and vulnerable populations hostage to advance their liberal spending agenda.
If the choice is to maintain current spending levels and keep our troops paid, or to give in to liberal spending demands by Democrats, Republicans should not budge.
Congressional Republicans’ priorities in this budget fight couldn’t be clearer: They want to put the American people and our military service members first. Congressional Democrats, on the other hand, have made it clear that they are willing to use both as leverage to provide spending for illegal immigrants. That is completely out of touch, and I think most Granite Staters — across the political spectrum — would agree with me.
As I run for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, I am proud to be running as a conservative Republican who will work with President Donald Trump and fight for our conservative values. Those values include protecting the Second Amendment, advocating for the American worker, and encouraging fiscal responsibility.
As a business owner, I personally know how untenable our national debt and current spending levels are. But in this situation, the choice is clear: Congress can either prioritize the American people, Granite State families, and our troops — or it can prioritize illegal immigrants and far-left spending projects.
I stand with the American people, President Trump, and Speaker Johnson.
