By April Ryan,
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BlackPressUSA Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondence
A government shutdown could become an unwanted reality in two days on Wednesday, October 1. However, this afternoon, President Trump meets with the top four congressional leaders on the same day he is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This weekend, President Trump told NBC News that Democrats want “to do all healthcare for illegal immigrants” and “they want open borders, which we are not doing.”
Democrats stand firm, saying they will not approve funding cuts unless Republicans extend healthcare subsidies, extend the Affordable Care Act, and undo GOP cuts to Medicaid.
Virginia Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott wants a discussion on healthcare, saying the Republicans’ plan will call for “people’s healthcare costs to skyrocket.
Last week, President Trump abruptly canceled a meeting with Democratic House and Senate leaders, who planned to discuss healthcare.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asked Democrats to return to the nation’s Capital today and Tuesday, hoping Republicans want to make deals to stave off a government shutdown. North Carolina Democratic Congresswoman Alma Adams is “hoping we can come to the table” to avert a shutdown. She says when they shut the government down, “they will shut the money down that is already flowing.”
If approved, the Republican Continuing Resolution would make it harder to go to college. Adams, who co-chairs the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, also says that the CR cuts Pell Grant funding for colleges and universities.
Adams also warns, “furloughs will not be normal as they have been in the past.” This time, those furloughed will lose their jobs.
According to Scott, Republicans are cutting back on nutrition. Scott points out that if the healthcare issue is not addressed in the continuing resolution, it will cut into nutrition funding for the SNAP program and farmers, who will not have people to sell food to through SNAP.
“I think they [Republicans] are trying to find ways to stop the money from flowing,” adds Adams.
