Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on Newsmax with Greta Van Susteren to discuss the ongoing government funding negotiations in Congress.

Thune addressed the current impasse over government funding, emphasizing that a resolution is ready for Senate approval. "The other party has a decision to make: Do they want to vote to reopen the government, or don’t they? These discussions, negotiations, all the things … they want to talk about, we’re willing to do, but not until they reopen the government and quit taking the American people hostage. This is a very simple, straightforward issue," Thune said.

He noted that a funding resolution has already passed in the House of Representatives and awaits action in the Senate. According to Thune, "We have a … funding resolution sitting at the desk in the Senate, ready to be passed by the Senate, already passed by the House of Representatives. The president will sign it into law soon as the Senate acts on it. All [the Democrats] have to do is reopen the government, and then we can have the conversation if they want to talk about some of these other issues."

Thune criticized Democratic leaders for what he described as holding up negotiations with additional spending requests and policy priorities. "But right now, they’re holding the American people hostage, and their solution is $1.5 trillion in new spending, free health care benefits for noncitizens. They have a whole wishlist, liberal wishlist, which Chuck Schumer negotiated with left-wing groups like MoveOn.org, and that’s what’s animating the discussion in the Senate right now. I think that will change," he said.

On healthcare subsidies linked to Covid-19 programs supported by Democrats, Thune raised concerns about waste and inefficiency: "They want the Covid subsidies, but that program is rife with fraud, waste, and abuse. And yes, we will have the conversation, but we can’t do just a straight-up extension." He argued that extending these subsidies would be costly: "First off, it’s a $365 billion program if you fully extend it for the time that they want to extend it. But beyond that, it’s got all kinds of problems with it."

Thune also pointed out issues with automatic enrollment in insurance programs under these subsidies: "It is a program that … basically gives subsidies to insurance companies...to enroll people...who aren’t even aware that they’ve got coverage." He claimed evidence shows many enrollees did not use their coverage last year.

He concluded his remarks by accusing Democratic leadership of shifting positions on shutdowns for political reasons: "[Chuck Schumer] cut this deal with a lot of these left-wing special interest groups...Up until now,[Chuck Schumer] was never for [shutting down the government]. I mean...‘You can’t take hostages. We need to keep the government open.’ Those are statements he was making in the past...who now have a completely different position when the shoe’s on the other foot."

Thune advocated continuing appropriations through regular order rather than attaching broader policy debates or extensions onto short-term funding measures: "The substance of this is very straightforward. Keep the government open. We’ll continue ... appropriations process ... something we’re doing this year that they didn’t do when [Chuck Schumer] was majority leader ..."

He added regarding healthcare legislation discussions: "And then we’ll figure this whole ACA issue out,but it certainly is not something that needs to be part of ... hijacking ... this short-term funding resolution..."