Schatz: They Have Money For Argentina, White House Ballroom, But Not Enough Money For You

WASHINGTON – Speaking at this afternoon’s Senate Democratic leadership press conference, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) called on Republicans to work with Democrats to stop health care costs from rising and reopen the government.

“This is not about money. There is enough money to bail out Argentina with $20 billion. There is enough money to purchase a brand new aircraft for $173 million for the Homeland Security Secretary. There is enough money to renovate the White House ballroom. What there's not enough money for under this Republican government is you,” said Senator Schatz. “There is only one way out of this shutdown, and it starts with the House of Representatives reporting for duty.”

A transcript of Senator Schatz’s remarks can be found below. Video is available here.

This is not about money. There is enough money to bail out Argentina with $20 billion. There is enough money to purchase a brand new aircraft for $173 million for the Homeland Security Secretary. There is enough money to renovate the White House ballroom. What there's not enough money for under this Republican government is you.

There's not enough money for you. And it is astonishing to me that the party in charge of the government literally won't show up to work during the second longest shutdown in American history.

House Republicans have been gone for more than a month. More than a month. They've worked two weeks out of the last three months. Nice work, if you can get it. You were all here. We were here. Two weeks out of the last three months they've even been in the United States Capitol. And so there is only one way out of this shutdown, and it starts with the House of Representatives reporting for duty.

###