Wednesday, October 23, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Zucker; 504-457-8141

Question For Bill Cassidy: Will You Again Shut Down Government, Vote For Default?

Cassidy Ally John Fleming Says About Government Shutdown: “We’re Going To Start This All Over Again”
Cassidy Shut Down Government, Voted For Default In Order To Delay Same Health Care Reforms He Tried To Pass At State Level in ’07
New Orleans, Louisiana – Less than a week after voting to continue his reckless government shutdown and send the U.S. economy into default for the first time in history, Bill Cassidy is still refusing to say if he will again shut down the government in January in order to block implementing the same health care reforms he tried to pass at the state level in 2007.
As many more responsible members of the House GOP were preparing to relent, and vote for the bipartisan compromise to end the reckless government shutdown of Bill Cassidy’s making, his buddy Congressman Fleming made this shocking declaration: “I’ll vote against it. But that will get us into Round 2. See, we’re going to start this all over again.”
Both Cassidy and Fleming are members of the House Republican Shutdown Caucus. They sent a letter to Speaker Boehner in August urging the Republican leadership to threaten a government shutdown in order to delay the Affordable Care Act.
But while other members of the GOP’s Shutdown Caucus are gearing up for another go at shutting down the government and sending the U.S. economy into default, Bill Cassidy is still refusing to come clean by revealing whether or not he intends to shut down the government for a second time.
The people of Louisiana deserve better. Bill Cassidy owes Louisianians an answer to the following question:
Bill Cassidy, will you again shut down the government and send the U.S. economy into default in order to delay the same health care reforms you tried to pass into law in 2007?
“In order to delay the same health care reforms he tried to pass at the state level only six years ago, Bill Cassidy shut down the government and voted to send the U.S. economy plummeting into default for the first time in history,” said Campaign for Louisiana Communications Director Andrew Zucker. “Now Bill Cassidy is refusing to say if he intends to shut down the government for a second time and force a first-ever default when another funding bill must be passed in January. Between his government shutdown, support for default and refusal to come clean with voters today, it’s clearer than ever before that Bill Cassidy simply can’t be counted on to fight for Louisiana families.”
Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown cost the economy at least $24 billion and shaved 0.6 percent off our economic growth. It cut funding for crucial programs that feed pregnant women, young children and seniors. It forced up to 320,000 veterans in Louisiana to plan for the likely possibility that their VA benefits, disability compensation or GI Bill stipends might not arrive as scheduled. It hurt small businesses, forced thousands of workers across the state to go to work without receiving paychecks and closed national parks vital to Louisiana’s tourism industry. And his support for default would have risked the full faith and credit of the U.S. while crippling our economy and causing ripple effects that hurt all Louisiana families.
poll last week showed Louisianians overwhelmingly opposed Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown by a monstrous 60 to 30 percent margin. Mary Landrieu led Bill Cassidy by 7 percentage points, and when voters were informed about Cassidy’s decision to shut down the government, he trailed by double digits. Worse for Bill Cassidy, Louisianians were polled before his latest vote to continue the government shutdown and send the U.S. economy into default, indicating Cassidy’s support has eroded even further since then.
BACKGROUND
Five Times, Cassidy Voted For Extreme House Republican Plans That Would Shut Down Government. [Vote #478, 9/20/13; CNN, 9/20/13; CNN, 9/29/13Vote #498, 9/29/13; Vote 502, 9/30/13; Vote 504, 9/30/13; Vote 505, 10/1/13]
Cassidy Signed A Letter Asking GOP House Leadership Not To Support Any Spending Bill Unless The Affordable Care Act Is Defunded. “U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy joined more than one-third of U.S. House Republicans in urging the leadership to threaten to force a government shutdown unless Obamacare is defunded… The letter that Cassidy signed onto includes 80 of the House’s 233 Republicans and asks the GOP House leadership not to support any spending bill — including a needed continuing resolution to avoid a partial government shutdown after Sept. 30 — unless the Affordable Care Act health care law is defunded.” [The Advocate8/25/13]
Cassidy and House Republicans Voted Sixteen Times Against Efforts to Re-Open the Government. Daines and House Republicans voted sixteen times against efforts to vote on a clean government funding resolution by allowing consideration of the Senate-passed continuing resolution. [H Res 370, Vote #509, 10/02/13; HJ Res 70, Vote #512, 10/02/13; HR 3230, Vote #515, 10/03/13; HJ Res 72, Vote #517, 10/03/13; H Res 371, Vote #519, 10/04/13; HJ Res 85, Vote #521, 10/04/13; HJ Res 75, Vote #523, 10/04/13; H J Res 77,  Vote #527, 10/7/13; HJ Res 84, Vote #529, 10/08/13; H Res 373, Vote #531, 10/08/13; HR 3273, Vote #533, 10/08/13; HJ Res 90, Vote #536, 10/09/13; HJ Res 79, Vote #539, 10/10/13; HJ Res 76, Vote #541, 10/11/13; HJ Res 80, Vote #547, 10/14/13; HJ Res 80, Vote #549, 10/14/13]

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