Congressional representatives responded to the government shutdown. Here are a few of the many responses.
Washington, D.C., October 1, 2025 — Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove Statement on the Republican Shutdown
Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans shutting down the federal government:
‘Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have just shut down the federal government. Instead of working across the aisle to protect health care for millions of Americans, they walked away from the table, dismissed basic proposals as “ridiculous and stupid,” and flooded the zone with racist AI slop to distract from the health care crisis they created.
Let’s be clear: this shutdown is a choice made by Trump and Republicans—a reckless, cruel one that shows exactly where their priorities lie. If they cared about the American people or the devastating impacts of a shutdown, they would have gotten serious about governing months ago. Instead, they wasted time pushing their Big Ugly Bill and leaving working families to pay the price.
House Democrats and I remain committed to reaching a bipartisan solution that keeps the government open and protects access to health care. Anything less is unacceptable.’
Washington, D.C., October 1, 2025 — McIver statement on Republican shutdown
As congressional Republicans allowed for a government shutdown to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on October 1, Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-02) released the following statement:
‘Republicans have literally shut down the government rather than take action to keep healthcare costs from going through the roof. Democrats remain ready to work. It’s time for Republicans to do their jobs.’
In spite of Republicans’ unwillingness to come to the table and do the right thing for the American people, McIver is still working and ready to serve. Her offices remain open to assist constituents. Shutdown FAQ is available here, and the office will continue to process casework and constituent requests online and at (973) 645-3213.
Washington, D.C., October 1, 2025 — Brown: Trump and Republicans Shut Down Government Instead of Addressing Health Care Crisis
Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) strongly criticized President Trump and Congressional Republicans for failing to advance bipartisan legislation to fund the government and address America’s urgent health care crisis.
According to a KFF report, ACA Marketplace Premium costs will more than double next year if Republicans end ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits.
Congresswoman Brown released the following statement as the Republican-led Senate adjourned before passing legislation to fund the government past September 30, meaning appropriated funds lapse at 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025, leading to a shutdown of the U.S. government:
‘President Trump and Congressional Republicans control Washington, as they have been reminding everyone all year, and they alone are responsible for this shutdown. Washington Republicans have totally and completely failed in their responsibility to fund the government. House Republicans weren’t even in Washington this week as the government was close to shutting down. This was no accident; it was a deliberate choice.
‘We came to work to save health care – they went on vacation.
‘Every day this shutdown drags on, families, workers, and communities in Northeast Ohio will pay the price: service members and federal employees will miss paychecks, Social Security and veterans’ services could be delayed, and small business loans will stall.
‘My Democratic colleagues and I have been clear about where we stand. We will not rubber stamp a budget that continues to cut our health care. Enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire soon, threatening to raise premiums for 22 million Americans, including over 500,000 Ohioans. Meanwhile, their Big Ugly Bill is set to strip Ohioans of their Medicaid, force the closure of community health clinics, and undermine telehealth services.
‘I am committed to reopening the government, protecting the health care of my constituents, and lowering costs. It’s time for Republicans to call their members back to Washington and negotiate a real solution.’
Brown’s office will remain open during the shutdown. For more information on how a shutdown will impact federal programs and services, click here.
Washington, D.C., October 1, 2025 — Rep. Craig Statement on President Trump and Republicans’ Government Shutdown
Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig released the following statement on President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ failure to fund the government, leading to the first government shutdown in nearly seven years.
‘Today, Republicans – who control the House of Representatives, Senate and White House – failed to do their job of keeping the government open.
‘Why? Because President Trump refused to come to the table and negotiate a bill with Democrats that would lower costs and protect critical access to health care for millions of Americans.
‘From the ‘Big Ugly Bill’ to slashing funding for public media to this government shutdown, President Trump and Republicans continue to show us that the priorities they ran on – lowering costs and making life better for working Americans – were nothing but empty promises.
‘When they are ready to put their money where their mouth is, I’ll be here ready to pass a funding bill that serves every day Minnesotans.
‘Until then, I’m working to rein in President Trump’s unchecked power during this shutdown and ensure that Minnesotans’ tax dollars aren’t paying the salaries of Republican representatives who refuse to do their jobs.’
Washington, D.C., September 26, 2025 — Letter: Adams, Lawmakers Call on USDA to Reinstate Household Food Security Reports
Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, along with Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02), Vice Ranking Member Shontel Brown (OH-11), Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Ranking Member Jahana Hayes (CT-05), and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) led a letter calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to reinstate the Household Food Security Reports, a comprehensive, consistent report that measures food insecurity on the national and state levels.
On September 20, 2025, the USDA announced the cancellation of the reports, calling the survey ‘redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous.’
In the letter, lawmakers expressed concern over how cutting the reports will impact food security monitoring in the U.S.: ‘They are the most important high-quality, consistent measure of national and state-level food insecurity we have in the U.S., giving us critical insight into how many Americans each year have to cut the size of meals or were hungry because they had too little money for food. In the most recent report, ERS found that, in 2023, 47.4 million Americans lived in food-insecure households, including 13.8 million children; 12.2 million people lived in households with very low food security.’
‘The letter emphasized how eliminating the reports comes as Americans navigate unprecedented cuts to food security programs in the Republican ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’: ‘Non-partisan estimates project that the law will cut SNAP benefits for all participants by an average of $168 per year and further reduce or eliminate food assistance entirely from 4 million Americans, at minimum. In the wake of its passage, it will be more important than ever to understand how many Americans are living with food insecurity. The administration is choosing to eliminate the report instead of facing the consequences of its actions.’
Facing claims that the reports are ‘politicized’, lawmakers highlighted that it was created as a bipartisan effort, saying, ‘the report is the result of years of bipartisan work to establish better measurements and understanding of food insecurity in America. While the first report was issued during the Clinton administration, it originated from a Reagan administration task force on food assistance… Five years later, a bipartisan bill to strengthen food and nutrition data collection – the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (NNMRR) – garnered unanimous support in both the House and Senate and was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush.’
Lawmakers concluded by saying, ‘Understanding who is hungry in America is not “unnecessary to carry out the work of the Department.” It is vital. We urge you to quickly reinstate the ERS employees that have been placed on administrative leave and to continue issuing the Household Food Security Report and conducting the critical Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement annually.’
The letter called for a response from the USDA no later than October 6, 2025.
