Florida Parish News

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Newsmax’s Wake Up America to address the ongoing government shutdown and its effects on federal workers and families. Scalise, who has represented Louisiana’s 1st district in Congress since 2008 after succeeding Bobby Jindal, criticized Democrats for their role in the shutdown.

Scalise described the consequences of the government closure: “There's already a lot of problems that Democrats have caused by shutting the government down. The most immediate was that you have federal workers, including our men and women in uniform, that started working without pay. Some of them were getting partial pay, but not their full pay. Their bills were still due fully. They still had the rent and the car notes, and all of that was due. And so that was already disrupted. And then you saw even more problems, the SNAP benefits, the women, infant, and children payments that were not going out to those low-income families. These are millions. I'm talking over 42 million people that are put in a really, really horrible position just so that Democrats can have a tantrum because Donald Trump won the presidency. And whatever Chuck Schumer thinks the election Tuesday night had to do with anything. I mean, blue states voted blue. What's the shocker there? New York elected a socialist as the leader of their party. And Chuck Schumer is in the fetal position, scared to death of Mamdani. That's the real problem is that Schumer can't make a move without clearing it now with the socialists in New York. And that's what's holding this government hostage. That's what's holding American families hostage, and I think people are sick by it."

He further stated: “And Democrats admit they're causing suffering for families, and they can't even tell you what they want. They're just beating their chest because, gee-whiz, New York elected a Socialist mayor, and New Jersey elected a Democrat governor. What did you think was going to happen? That's no victory."

Scalise also mentioned recent disruptions: “You just saw it: a 10% reduction in air traffic right before Thanksgiving when families are going to be going to see their relatives. Many of them are not going to be able to do that now because why? Chuck Schumer is afraid of the socialist wing of his party? Talk about a profile in courage for goodness' sake.”

On policy achievements under President Trump and Congressional Republicans he said: “Well, I think the most important thing that we've been doing when we won the majority last year, House, Senate, and of course President Trump in the White House—we ran on very specific things. We said that we would focus on getting the economy back on track, reversing the damage of Joe Biden, get energy prices under control. We've done that. We said we'd secure the border—that was the number one issue in America—President Trump day one went to work securing the border—and now it is secure—and that's another issue we've solved…We've worked with President Trump over and over again to deliver for American families…And what have Democrats done? They've obstructed every step of the way…They shut down government—a record 37 days—is that something they can go to voters and brag about?”

Scalise also commented on recent elections involving controversial candidates: “I think that was most disappointing result of all is this was an easy one where voters can just say look yeah might be Republican might be Democrat can we at least not elect guy who said he wants kill not just political opposition he wanted kill children his political opponent…I mean this guy should have been disqualified from office…Every law enforcement group Virginia said he's not fit for office…He's going be attorney general…It's sad that's best Democrats had offer…Their party's rudderless ship right now…They really void alternatives ideas...They're proving it with shutdown.”

Steve Scalise has lived much of his life in Louisiana; he was born in New Orleans in 1965 and currently resides in Jefferson at age 57.He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University.