Asian American lawmakers spar over blame as shutdown enters 2nd week

Lawmakers showed little progress over the weekend toward ending the government shutdown that began last Wednesday.

Catch up: The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1 after funding expired amid disputes over health care subsidies. While Democrats want Congress to renew them, President Donald Trump pushes to maintain current spending levels. Democrats also seek guarantees that the White House will not unilaterally cancel spending in any agreement. This follows the administration’s use of “pocket rescissions” to withhold $4.9 billion in foreign aid last month, blocking Congress from reviewing the decision before the last fiscal year closed.

The health care debate heavily impacts Asian American communities. For instance, more than 61,000 residents in Democratic Rep. Judy Chu’s California district will see premium increases if tax credits expire, while nearly 40,000 stand to lose coverage entirely from Republican cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The stakes have grown as Trump threatens to impose mass layoffs of federal workers, blaming Democrats.

What they’re saying: Asian American Democratic lawmakers have blamed Republicans for the shutdown as they control the House, Senate and White House. Ahead of it, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said American families are “staring down a health care crisis of Republicans’ own making” and criticized Trump for “a lack of leadership of epic proportions.” Meanwhile, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) stressed her party had been ready to negotiate, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) “sent his members home to do fancy fundraisers with billionaires” and refused to do their part.

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) also slammed Republicans and warned that without urgent action from Congress, health care premiums will more than double for millions across the country in weeks. Needless to say, the financial impact is stark. Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) shared that in Queens, a family of four earning $64,000 could pay $2,000 more in annual premiums, while a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 could see their costs soar by more than $13,000 each year.

On the other hand, Asian American Republicans have pointed to their counterparts as the problem. Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) said “Washington Democrats decided to play political games and shut our government down at the expense of the American people.” She said she voted to keep the government open and supported a clean, short-term, bipartisan government funding bill. Rep. Vince Fong, also from California, took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging him to “put governing for ALL Americans ahead of appeasing his progressive base.”

Kim has requested her salary to be withheld. Across the aisle, Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey made a similar call. “It’s wrong that the President and Members of Congress get paid during a government shutdown when our military and public servants don’t,” he said, noting that more than 48,000 federal employees and 10,000 active-duty service members in his state could end up either working without pay or being furloughed.

The big picture: The current standoff plays out against an uncertain economic backdrop. While the economy continues to grow, data shows hiring has slowed and inflation remains elevated. Trump’s tariffs, as previously reported, have created disruptions for both businesses and consumers. For Asian American families, the shutdown’s impact is compounded by existing pressures. Many rely on the ACA subsidies at risk in the dispute, while those in the federal workforce face potential furloughs and missed paychecks.

The Senate is scheduled to vote today for the fifth time on competing funding bills, though neither is expected to reach the 60 votes needed to advance.