Ranking Member Takano Condemns Republican Instigated Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano issued a blistering condemnation of the Republican-led government shutdown and Speaker Mike Johnson’s cynical ploy to use veterans’ programs as political leverage. House Republicans jammed through a hyper-partisan continuing resolution without Democratic input on September 18 and adjourned until October 7 -- knowingly forcing a government shutdown.

“Speaker Johnson and House Republicans have chosen brinkmanship over responsibility, and America’s veterans will pay the price. Republicans rushed through a partisan ‘funding’ bill and skipped town, fully aware it would trigger a shutdown. Now, vital services for veterans and their families are in limbo.

Despite controlling every level of government, Republicans chose earlier this year not to include advanced appropriations for FY26 PACT Act funding and failed to pass the already agreed upon bipartisan ‘VA Extenders’ package by September 30. Instead, they folded both into a partisan, last-minute continuing resolution to use as leverage. That gambit has now failed — and as a result, those veteran programs have now expired. Using veterans as political pawns in partisan games is an outrageous betrayal of our sacred obligation to those who served.

Democrats were ready and willing to work on a bipartisan solution to keep the government open, but Republicans pushed a spending bill that worsened the looming healthcare crisis, threatened mass firings, and then fled DC.

Republicans’ ultimate goal is to callously take away Medicaid, which 1.6 million veterans rely on, and slash Medicare, which serves roughly 1.3 million veterans. Americans, including the veteran community, deserve more from the Members they elect and trust. Democrats won’t stand by while Republicans use veterans as bargaining chips in their game of partisan politics.” 

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