House Republicans Block Plan To Keep Government Open, Lower Health Care Costs

Dear Constituent, 

I wanted to contact you about a potential government shutdown and my ongoing work to protect vital services. Unfortunately, extreme conservatives are trying to force a shutdown, which would begin on October 1, to further Donald Trump's extreme ideological agenda.

Trump and extreme conservatives have continued down this reckless path without bipartisan cooperation, and I want you to know what you can expect. 

The government shuts down at midnight. For months, my Democratic colleagues and I have tried to reach a bipartisan deal that keeps government open and lower health care costs, but House Republicans have refused to negotiate. In fact, despite being on the verge of a shutdown, House Republicans can’t be bothered to come to show up to work.

At every turn, House Republicans have fought against Democratic attempts to prevent health care cuts, lower out-of-pocket costs, and save the affordable care that working families count on. They have shown a lack of interest in helping the American people and an inability to govern, even as they maintain the majority in Congress and the White House.

Despite the shutdown, my staff and I will continue working on your behalf and will remain available to assist you as usual–although we may not be able to get answers from federal agencies that are experiencing closures or staff furloughs. For more information about how the shutdown may impact you, I have created an FAQ page.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for updates on this ongoing matter.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov