Trump would ‘rather fly to another country’ than address US health care crisis: Senate minority leader
'He shut down the government, 23 days now, the second-longest shutdown ever, by refusing to negotiate with Democrats,’ says Chuck Schumer
WASHINGTON
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed President Donald Trump on Thursday for the government shutdown and the administration’s failure to address America’s deepening health care crisis.
"We're staring into the abyss of the health care crisis here in America. And what is Donald Trump doing as we stare into the abyss of the health care crisis? He's flying off yet again, to another corner of the world, while people's premiums are set to skyrocket here at home," Schumer said on the Senate floor on day 23 of the shutdown.
His remarks came a day after the Senate blocked the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) for a 12th time to fund the government until Nov. 21.
"He shut down the government, 23 days now, the second-longest shutdown ever, by refusing to negotiate with Democrats," Schumer said.
Schumer, joined by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said Trump had declined multiple invitations to meet and discuss potential compromises to reopen the government and address health care concerns.
"We're in the middle of a health care crisis that will decimate tens of millions of Americans. But Donald Trump doesn't seem to want to touch the topic with a 10-foot pole and has decided to fly off to another country yet again, without negotiating with Democrats.
"Leader Jeffries and I asked him to sit down and talk with us. We said, 'We need to talk.' He refused. Donald Trump would literally rather fly to another country than meet with Democrats to negotiate on health care," he said.
Trump is scheduled to spend three days in Japan starting Oct. 27, following a visit to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. He is then expected to continue to South Korea.
Democrats have blamed Trump and Republican lawmakers for the standoff, citing their control of Congress and the White House.
"Let me make one point very clear. The shutdown is on Donald Trump's back ... Republicans have the presidency, the House and the Senate, and the shutdown is on them," said Schumer, calling on Republicans to get "serious," sit down with Democrats, avert the health care crisis and reopen the government.
The shutdown began Oct. 1 after a breakdown in negotiations on federal spending priorities. Thousands of federal workers have since been furloughed, or working without pay, while government services have been curtailed or suspended.
