Top Republican slams Katherine Clark for admitting suffering families are 'leverage' in shutdown battle

SPECIFIC A top House Republican is criticizing one of Democrats senior leaders for saying the regime shutdown and its effects are a leverage point to accomplish their goals on healthcare It's appalling to see the number two House Democrat openly admit that the left is weaponizing hardworking Americans as 'leverage' for political gain even acknowledging families will suffer in the process Republican Research Committee Chair August Pfluger R-Texas communicated Fox News Digital This isn't governance it's calculated hostage-taking with struggling families caught in the balance as Democrats attempt to force through their radical agenda Families are seen only as leverage by Democrats We dependably knew it now they're saying it out loud Absolutely shameful House Minority Whip Katherine Clark D-Mass sat down for an interview with Fox News Chad Pergram last week At one point Clark was questioned about who Americans would find responsible for the ongoing shutdown BATTLEGROUND REPUBLICANS HOLD THE LINE AS JOHNSON PRESSURES DEMS ON SHUTDOWN I mean shutdowns are terrible and of unit there will be you know families that are going to suffer We take that responsibility very seriously But it is one of the scant leverage times we have Clark responded It is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people and it's been an absolute refusal and they were willing to let ruling body shut down when they control the House the Senate and the White House rather than come and talk about an issue as crucial to the American people is if they can afford healthcare Fox News Digital reached out to Clark's office for a response to Pfluger's comments The administration shutdown is now in its rd day after Senate Democrats rejected the GOP's federal funding bill for a th time on Wednesday evening Republicans proposed a measure that would keep federal funding roughly flat until Nov a spending patch called a continuing resolution CR so that negotiators would have more time to strike a longer-term deal on fiscal year FY The bill passed the House largely along partisan lines on Sept But Democrats have been pushing for any funding deal to include an extension of Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID- pandemic Those enhancements are set to expire at the end of Republican leaders have signaled a willingness to negotiate on those subsidies but have ruled out doing so in the current package SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES MIKE LAWLER AS LEADERSHIP SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES Mike Johnson stated we have an eternity to talk about this an eternity This impact of the ACA is in the next sparse weeks Clark reported Yes there are repercussions to a shutdown that are terrible for people She continued I feel for military families that even if they get paid you know there are lots of spouses that also work that are feeling these cuts because we've encouraged military spouses to become federal workers to accommodate all the trip and moving that military families so frequently experience And now we're saying to them you're not going to be paid for your work I mean let's get it together here The Republicans need to come to town They need to sit down with us Republicans have seized on Clark's comments in latest days however House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain R-Mich announced in a report on Wednesday Democrats are holding American families hostage to advance their political agenda and they re admitting it