Florida Parish News

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke in Washington, D.C., alongside Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), to address the ongoing government shutdown. Scalise criticized Senate Democrats for what he described as repeated votes to keep the government closed.

"It's disgraceful that not only are we in this shutdown because Chuck Schumer is only concerned about appeasing the most radical elements of his base, but time and time again, seven times now, you've had other Senate Democrats join in with him to keep the government closed. They're feeling some pressure. But what they're trying to do now, both Democrats in the House and Senate, is trying to shift the blame away. While they're voting to shut the government down, they're trying to blame other people.

"Let's be clear, and the Speaker showed it: We've had actual votes on the House floor to keep the government open. We've had those same votes on the Senate floor. You can see who has been voting to pay our troops, who has been voting to pay our TSA agents, our Border Patrol agents, and who are those people that are voting to shut it down, to deny pay to our troops. It's crystal clear. You can go see the voice votes, the record votes. Members of Congress, House and Senate, have actually cast votes over and over again on whether they want to keep it open or shut it down. You don't have to wonder about a blame game. Gee whiz, both sides are blaming the other side. Just go look at the votes. There have been actual votes in the House and the Senate eight different times now between the two chambers to open the government."

Scalise said that Americans are experiencing negative effects from what he called "the Democrats’ shutdown." He stated: "Republicans have said, ‘Yes, let's keep the government open while we negotiate our differences.’ Democrats continue to say no so they can appease their radical base. And so as Chuck Schumer denies pay to millions of federal workers, we know roughly at least one in three of every service member in America lives paycheck to paycheck. Now, should they get solace in knowing that they're risking their lives, some of them overseas, while their families are here, on Monday, when we get to the date where paychecks would be cut, the government will still be shut down, and they won't even be getting a paycheck on the 15th? Rent will still be due. Mortgages will still be due. Car notes will still be due for those service members risking their lives. Should they take solace in knowing that at least it's a good day for Chuck Schumer? At least Chuck Schumer feels like the shutdown is working good for Schumer.

"That's not going to give solace to any of those families. Instead, it actually increases the anger of the families all across America who are seeing the real cost of this shutdown. They know who's voting to shut the government down, but now they're feeling direct pain. The only thing they hear from Democrat leaders that keep voting ‘no’ is ‘Oh it's a good day for us because the far left is patting us on the back.’ Do they really need a participation trophy to feel good about themselves while they inflict pain on millions of people? It's disgraceful."

He also commented on reports regarding upcoming events: "As the Speaker pointed out this morning, one of the other things that's being reported now is that one of the dates it looks like they're holding the government hostage over is the 18th of the month where they're having this Hate America rally in Washington. Democrats want to keep the government shut down to show all of those people that are going to come here and express their hatred towards this country that they're fighting President Trump; that they're keeping the government closed as if it's something to be proud of. They ought to be ashamed. If they had any shame they would come back; they would open up the government; and then we can negotiate our differences which are very very large on a lot of these issues.

"But in meantime we all know who's doing this; The votes are crystal clear; The public can go see who's voting keep gov't open who's voting shut it down; Chuck Schumer & his Democrat colleagues who're doing this need look themselves mirror & start working for American people instead being so concerned about appeasing their far-left radical base."

Steve Scalise has represented Louisiana’s 1st district in Congress since 2008 after succeeding Bobby Jindal.

He previously served in both chambers of Louisiana's state legislature before entering Congress.

Born in New Orleans in 1965 and currently residing in Jefferson Parish,

Scalise holds a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University.