Grassley: federal government shutdown would be a “stupid thing to do”

WASHINGTON — A standoff over health care and spending is threatening to trigger the first shutdown of the federal government in almost seven years. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have not been able to find an agreement, and the government will shut down Wednesday if the Senate does not pass a House measure that would extend federal funding for seven weeks.

Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says he places blame on Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for not wanting to approve a House measure that would extend federal funding for seven weeks and allow negotiations to continue. “Democrats want to negotiate some things. I think Republicans feel some of those things are legitimate to negotiate, and we’ve got time into November and December to negotiate them without shutting down the government now. I would remind that we shouldn’t have a ‘Schumer shutdown’, and the name ‘Schumer shutdown’ is reasonable, because if we don’t keep government open, it will be his fault as leader of the Democrats.”

Grassley says a government shutdown would be costly.  “A ‘Schumer shutdown’ would cost money to shut down the government, it costs money to open up the government. Democrats want to accomplish certain things through a shutdown, usually those things are not settled any more than before the shutdown, so they don’t get what they want. Government is supposed to be a service for the people, and you can’t serve the people if you aren’t functioning, so it’s just a stupid thing to do.”

A government shutdown would begin at 12:01 Wednesday morning Washington time.