GOP Sen. McCormick Urges Republicans to Maintain 'Pressure' on Dems Regarding Gov't Shutdown

During an appearance on FNC’s “The Sunday Briefing,” Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) urged his Capitol Hill GOP colleagues to continue to keep the pressure on Democrats amid the federal government shutdown.

According to the Pennsylvania lawmaker, maintaining pressure was his preferred tactic over changing the rules.

“[W]e are at the point where people are really being hurt by the Schumer shutdown,” he said. “And this is pretty straightforward. We need to vote to open up the government. Republicans have done that 14 times. The Democrats have resisted that 14 times. And we need to get on with the business of the government and including whatever discussions and negotiations are going to be about extending the COVID Obamacare subsidies, but we got to get the government open. That’s our first responsibility.”

Host Peter Doocy replied, “And to do that, President Trump is telling you guys in the Senate to use the nuclear option, basically just nuke the rules that have always run the Senate and the shutdown like that without any Democrats. Are you going to do it?”

“Well, listen, that’s tempting because we’re all so frustrated that people are being hurt,” McCormick said. And President Trump said that. My friend and fellow senator, Senator Fenton, said that. I think we need to keep the pressure on the Democrats. This is their shutdown. They are standing in the way of innocent people getting the food that they need. And listen, just imagine a world where there’s no filibuster and you have the crazy, radical part of the Democratic Party in charge, we would become a country of socialism. So, listen, that’s going to be an ongoing discussion about the filibuster. I think the pressure should be on the Democrats about the government.”

“And listen, who are they doing this for?” he added. “The federal government, the federal workers union, the Teamsters, the air traffic controllers, all, everybody involved is saying open up the government and let’s get on with the business of the people of our great country.”

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