House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of creating and using a healthcare crisis to push massive new spending while negotiations to reopen the government continue. He argued that Democrats are blocking a clean budget resolution because they want to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Republicans say should be handled separately. Johnson claimed Democrats are using the crisis to justify “more than a trillion dollars in new spending.”

He also criticized Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, for stopping the House bill as the shutdown enters its fifth week. Johnson said Democrats originally passed the ACA without Republican support and insisted their policies have increased costs for “taxpayers and insurance holders.”

Highlighting Republican goals, Johnson said the GOP is focused on lowering healthcare costs, expanding access, and removing ineligible people from Medicaid. He argued that Democrats’ push for additional ACA subsidies mainly helps insurance companies, saying the proposal “benefits insurance companies rather than patients.”

Johnson pushed back on claims that healthcare disagreements are the reason for the shutdown, stating the standoff “is not about healthcare policy.” Instead, he said Democrats are refusing to move forward without tying the spending bill to their preferred healthcare measures.

Despite the ongoing standoff, Johnson maintained that Republicans are ready to pass a clean resolution and reopen the government, but only if healthcare debates are separated from budget negotiations.