Hunter
10/03/25
Iowa Democrats and Republicans are pointing fingers, trying to place blame for the government shutdown on each other.
The Gazette reports Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation accused Democrats of blocking a short-term spending bill and prioritizing what they called a “partisan wish list,” while Democrats countered that Republicans walked away from negotiations and are risking steep health care cost hikes for thousands of Iowans.
US Representative Ashley Hinson perpetuated the misinformation that the Democratic proposal would give illegal aliens taxpayer-funded benefits. Under current federal law, undocumented immigrants are largely barred from federally funded health care programs.
Hinson said while she and her fellow Republicans want to keep the government open, the “Schumer Shutdown” is Democrats way of scoring points with their far-left base.
Representative Randy Feenstra echoed the same line, framing the shutdown as an unnecessary stunt that is wrong and shameful.
Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks also accused Democrats of preferring to fund benefits for immigrants instead of protecting Iowa families, farmers, seniors and veterans.
Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann of the Democrats, “ … They’ll throw soldiers, seniors, veterans, law enforcement, and families under the bus if it means funding their radical agenda and taking a cheap shot at President Trump. It’s shameful, extreme, and shows just how far-left they’ve gone to appease their radical base.”
Iowa Democratic Chair Rita Hart said the Democratic plan would prevent the largest health care premium hike in 15 years by extending the federal subsidies ,but Republicans have refused to compromise. It’s estimated that over 110,000 Iowans would be hit hard by the premium increases.
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen urged Iowans to prepare for the upcoming open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act coverage. He said carriers have filed rate increases ranging between 12.6 percent and over 25 percent for next year.
Ommen also said the Affordable Care Act is flawed and called on Congress to implement reforms that create affordability, sustainability, and a market that actually functions like insurance.