loading . . . Fetterman: "Democrats Really Need To Own The Shutdown. I Mean, We’re Shutting It Down" Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman told CNN's "State of the Union" this morning that Democrats should immediately vote to reopen the government and avoid cuts to food stamps, Obamacare subsidies, and airport security.
"Democrats really need to own the shutdown. I mean, weâre shutting it down," Fetterman said. "I know why they claim theyâre doing itâbecause they want to address the tax creditsâand I fully support that. I voted for all of our carsâour causesâevery single time. But I refuse to put 42 million Americans into that kind of food insecurity."
"This is the wrong tactic. It was wrong when the Republicans did it, and itâs wrong now that weâre driving it," he said. "This is an absolute fail. Itâs embarrassing, honestly. If we canât even keep the lights on like thisâcome on."
"It seems like weâre moving against our core values by keeping the government shut down. Weâre on day 33 now."
JAKE TAPPER, CNN: Joining us now is Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. He's one of three Senate Democrats who has been voting with Republicans to continue to fund the government. Senator, thanks for joining us.
As you know, 42 million Americansâincluding 2 million Pennsylvaniansâwill not receive food stamp or SNAP benefits this month because funding officially lapsed yesterday. The White House says this is the fault of Democrats for shutting down the government. Democrats note that the Trump administration is not dipping into the contingency funds for SNAP, and they think Trump is doing that to pressure Democrats. How do you see it? Who do you blame for this?
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (DâPA): For me, fundamentally, itâs deeply, deeply distressing to know that 42 million Americans are going to lose their SNAP benefits. Thatâs one of the big reasons why I refuse to shut our government down.
And again, I feel like the Democrats really need to own the shutdown. I mean, weâre shutting it down. I know why they claim theyâre doing itâbecause they want to address the tax creditsâand I fully support that. I voted for all of our carsâour causesâevery single time. But I refuse to put 42 million Americans into that kind of food insecurity.
Now, this is all solved by just reopening our government. The people need to be paid. If we are the party thatâs fighting for working people, we canât be the ones shutting it down. Every single union thatâs involved in this is now demanding that we reopen. Thatâs the side Iâm on.
The four major airlines are also saying we really have to stop this right now. Why would we want to make flying less safe by forcing this kind of situation and making everything that much more stressed? So itâs not something I support, and I donât want to be involved in it. We need to find a way forward. I do believe we can achieve these tax creditsâthis is something I supportâbut this is the wrong tactic. It was wrong when the Republicans did it, and itâs wrong now that weâre driving it.
JAKE TAPPER: Senators say that bipartisan talks to end this logjam seem to be gaining steam, though an actual agreement is still out of reach as of now. Do you know where these bipartisan talks to end the shutdown stand? Weâre on day 33 of the shutdown.
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: I sure hope so. I mean, this is an absolute fail. Itâs embarrassing, honestly. If we canât even keep the lights on like thisâcome on.
Federal workers have had to borrow more than a third of a billion dollars just to pay their bills. Those are the kinds of workers that make this country run, and theyâre really suffering. And now people canât count on their SNAP benefits, or on WIC and Head Start. These are the kinds of people Iâm fighting for as a Democrat. But right now, it seems like weâre moving against our core values by keeping the government shut down. Weâre on day 33âitâs gone on far too long.
JAKE TAPPER: Letâs talk about the issue Democrats say theyâre fighting for in this shutdown. Pennsylvaniaâs Obamacare marketplace says more than 150,000 Pennsylvanians are going to lose their coverage if these enhanced premiums expire at the end of the year. In Allegheny County, where you live, average monthly health care costs are projected to rise 75%. In rural Juniata County, those prices are projected to jump a staggering 435%.
Have any Republicans offered you any assurances that they will work with Democrats to actually do something to prevent this from happeningâif Democrats reopen the government?
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: Yeah, I absolutely do believe so, because a lot of those counties you just referencedâtheyâre all very, very red. And I do believe many Republicans realize that we have to address this and extend these tax credits. I absolutely hope we do.
This is what Iâm saying: I fully, fully support these things. But this is the wrong tactic. Right now, by doing thisâby shutting down the governmentâweâre getting neither of those things. Youâre not going to get your SNAP benefits, and youâre not going to get the tax credits we all need.
Reopen this thing, and we can find a way forward. Thatâs the way democracy is supposed to operate. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/11/02/fetterman_democrats_really_need_to_own_the_shutdown_i_mean_were_shutting_it_down.html
