Florida Parish News

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" to address the ongoing government shutdown, which he attributes to Senate Democrats. Scalise criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, claiming that the shutdown is a result of efforts to satisfy the party's far-left base.

“What a twisted measuring stick Chuck Schumer has that he's doing better when American people are suffering. And think about who those American people are who are suffering during Chuck Schumer's government shutdown. It's our men and women in uniform, our military men and women. It's TSA agents. It's any federal workers that are missing their paychecks because Chuck Schumer decided to have a tantrum to appease his far-left radical base. That's what this shutdown is all about. It's why seven times Schumer has voted against a bill just to keep government funded at current levels. Chuck Schumer has voted for those same levels himself before as recently as March. He's trying to be concerned about AOC beating him in a primary. He's less concerned about the harm he's inflicting on American people. If you think a good day for you is only when there is a bad day for millions of American families, maybe you've lost your way,” Scalise said.

Scalise also discussed the role of House Republicans and Senate Democrats in ending the shutdown: “Well, I think when five more Senate Democrats come to their senses, Maria, you've got three, only three Senate Democrats. 99% of House Republicans voted to pass the bill out of the House. It passed. 99% of Democrats voted to shut the government down in the House. It's over in the Senate. All we need is five more Democrats to join with Republicans, and the bill goes to President Trump's desk and is signed, and this shutdown ends. We still have big differences, by the way. Big, big differences that we can negotiate between now and November 21st. It's only a short-term bill initially, but Chuck Schumer is blocking even that because he just wants to show the most radical elements of the Democrat Party that are about to elect a socialist in New York that he's fighting Donald Trump because they are still upset with the results of the election from last year. Donald Trump won the presidency to get this country back on track, and he's doing that. You could see all the things around the world, including peace in the Middle East, for goodness' sake. Trump is doing his job, I wish Chuck Schumer was doing his.”

He emphasized concerns over military pay: “Well, it's a shame, though, that we're at this point. We passed a bill weeks ago, over three weeks ago in the House, that would have paid our military troops, and 99% of Democrats voted ‘no.’ Some of those Democrats are having buyer's remorse. Many of them who voted against paying our troops are now begging Speaker Johnson to come back and try to get a do-over. The problem is that bill is now in the Senate, and it's Senate Democrats who are blocking troop pay and pay for everybody else. All they need to do, five Democrats need to come to their senses and even go around Chuck Schumer... I hope they come to their senses, but troop pay is at stake."

On foreign policy matters related to President Trump’s actions in the Middle East following recent events involving Israel and Hamas: “Maria, this is nothing short of just an amazing accomplishment of many that President Trump has achieved... President Trump has achieved it... He vowed from day one he would get the hostages returned... He's worked relentlessly... He's done more than any leader in years... especially in the Middle East.”

Scalise also commented on calls for awarding former President Trump with international recognition: “They gave it [the Nobel Peace Prize] to Barack Obama for just getting elected President... Prime Minister Netanyahu has nominated him [Trump]. My colleague Claudia Tenney has formally gone through ...to nominate President Trump... Nobody's done more in decades..."

Steve Scalise represents Louisiana’s 1st district in Congress since 2008 after succeeding Bobby Jindal (https://www.house.gov/representatives). He previously served both in Louisiana’s House of Representatives from 1996-2008 and briefly held office in its state senate (https://scalise.house.gov/about/full-biography). Born in New Orleans in 1965 (https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=S001176), Scalise lives currently in Jefferson Parish.