As the federal government shutdown enters its third week, U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo. 4th District, told Missourinet that he’s hearing directly from constituents affected by the federal government shutdown.
That includes Timothy Brooks, a veteran from Peculiar, Missouri, in the western part of the state
“He uses Community Care, which is a program inside the Veterans Administration,” said Alford. “But it’s private care provided through the VA and then they bill the VA and get reimbursed, and they are not booking his appointments now because the VA is shut down.”
He said it’s very concerning that Brooks hasn’t been able to get treatment at the VA for three weeks.
Congressman Alford also said he’s surprised the shutdown has lasted this long—and while he blames Democrats, he adds that the standoff is purely political.
“They’re not fighting for all these other issues, the Epstein file, the woman from Arizona who wants to get sworn in,” said Alford. “I don’t know how much longer they can keep this up. The problem is they have dug themselves such a deep hole. Now the only thing that they can count on is misery.”
Missouri Democratic leaders say they won’t support reopening the federal government until Republicans agree to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and negotiate a bipartisan spending plan.
Alford said there needs to be a serious conversation about health care in America—but not at the expense of keeping the government closed.
“But they know as well as we know that it’s got to go through some committee,” said Alford. “Whether it’s Ways and Means or Energy and Commerce and perhaps both because there’s taxes involved, there’s Medicare involved. But I’m surprised that it’s gone on this long.”
The federal government shutdown began October 1st, and in Missouri, it’s already impacting key programs like SNAP and WIC—putting food assistance for hundreds of thousands of families at risk if the stalemate continues into November.
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