The Democrats’ government shutdown is harming federal outreach to veterans, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told Newsmax on Thursday.
Cassidy, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, appeared on “Wake Up America.” He was shown a clip of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins saying the shutdown is negatively affecting outreach to veterans.
Cassidy noted that while medical care will continue, outreach and transition services, including career counseling and coordination with state and local agencies, are being delayed.
“I absolutely agree with Secretary Collins,” Cassidy told co-hosts Sharla McBride and Marc Lotter. “You’ve got a book of business you got to do, OK. And this week, you go in there. This week, you go there; this week, you go there.”
“Now, if this week is being lost because of a shutdown, the folks that you’re reaching out to, they’re put back at the back of the line.”
“And even if they have needs, even if you need to reach out for career counseling, then you’re not going to be able to do that until you get back to it. The veterans need not to have their care and service delayed. They need it now,” Cassidy added.
“Another consequence byproduct of the ‘Schumer shutdown.'”
Cassidy said the shutdown will last “as long as [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer[, D-N.Y.,] thinks it’s to his political advantage, arguing that Republicans are pushing to reopen the government while Democrats are holding out under pressure from the party’s progressive wing.”
“This ‘Schumer shutdown’ stops when he feels like he’s appeased them, and the pain is too much,” Cassidy said. “Then, hopefully, we can begin to work again for the American people.”
Cassidy echoed Vice President JD Vance’s comments that Democrats are demanding billions in funding for healthcare for illegal migrants in exchange for reopening the government. He said Republicans are only asking for a seven-week extension of the current budget to continue negotiations.
Cassidy added that Republicans have supported similar short-term budget extensions under then-President Joe Biden and are seeking the same breathing room now. He rejected Democrats’ proposal for a one-month budget extension tied to a one-year extension of Obamacare subsidies, warning it would become a midterm campaign rallying cry for liberals.
“This is just seven weeks to work out differences,” Cassidy said. “What’s on the table is pretty reasonable.”
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