>> We are on day 23 of the federal government shutdown.
failed 12 times to pass the House bill that would
reopen the government. Joining us now is
Republican Congressman Glenn Grothman. Congressman,
thanks for joining us. >> Glad to be on the show.
>> So the continuing resolution the House passed
would only fund the government through November
21st. And at this point, we're almost closer to that
date than the start of the shutdown. Do you think
a new CR with maybe a longer date behind it?
>> Well, I think we should. First of all, wait a little
bit and see if the Democrats will vote to keep
the government open. I mean, like you just said, the
Republicans in the Senate, my own Ron Johnson, have
voted 12 times to keep the government open. And it's
what is normally automatic. So you understand we are
waiting for a budget for the calendar year, for the
fiscal year beginning October 1st, 13 times when
Joe Biden was president, the Republicans helped him
out by keeping the government open in similar
circumstances. I bet it didn't even make the shows
right. So I think a lot of us still want to believe
that the Democrats will do what is par for the course
has been for decades, and just vote to keep the
government open. No reason not to.
>> So the hangup for Democrats in the Senate,
according to them, is this extension of Affordable
Care Act subsidies. They're holding out for that. They
expire at the end of the year. November 1st is when
those subsidies, when the marketplace opens, and
people may see what premiums may look like.
Without those subsidies. Would you vote to extend
the subsidies if that was the deciding factor in a
deal? >> You got to remember,
it's always good to say we're going to vote for
more spending of every type. But right now we're
borrowing 26% of our budget. That's why we've got to get
the continuing resolution passed, because there may
wind up being a little more for subsidies in there, but
it depends upon what's going on in the other items.
We've got about $1.8 trillion in discretionary
spending that we're voting to extend, of which the
Obamacare subsidies are part of. That is because
the Obamacare is flawed. It would be nice to change.
Obamacare works, so we don't have to keep dipping
further and further into subsidies. But again, we've
got to ask the Democrats 26% of our budget is
borrowed. What do you plan on cutting instead? If you
do want to put $34 billion a year, which is about what
they're looking at into Obamacare subsidies.
>> So one of the things that people in the public
that are receiving these subsidies aren't as nuanced
in the federal government spending as obviously you
are. But when they hear headlines like $20 billion
for Argentina to bail out their economy, but we can't
afford subsidies for Americans. How do you
explain that discrepancy >> Well, I think President
Trump is in a situation in which he doesn't want
Argentina to become a new Venezuela, which would be
even more wildly expensive to deal with. I think they
just have to realize the Obamacare was poorly drawn
up. We are prepared to keep the government open. And
then as far as subsidies are concerned, you know,
they've got to ask us where other parts of the budget
are that they don't want to spend as much on. Again,
the Americans have to get used to the fact that right
now we're borrowing 26% of our budget. You're talking
about Obamacare subsidies. I'll tell you when I'm in
my office, again and again and again, I meet Americans
who want the government to spend more money. Can we
spend more here? Can we spend more there? And, you
know, I can think of things that can be done to get to
$34 billion, but the Democrats haven't put those
things on the table. And in part, they haven't put them
on the table because we're not negotiating. We're not
should keep the government open first. It's just not
that difficult of a demand. It's something that's done
automatically. And if you look at the statements in
the, the, the journals that are put out in Washington,
D.C. the Democrats admit that the reason they are
not opening the government is they want to use
leverage, not just on Obamacare, but on on things
like Moore DEI programs, for example, which I think
are just the most vicious things and wouldn't be
wouldn't be good to spend us the money for free.
>> So the consumer price index was released today
and showed inflation was up 3% in September. And they
say largely due to tariffs. Do you continue to support
Donald Trump's tariff policy?
>> I'm not as big a fan as tariffs as some other
people, but you know, President Trump is our
president. He's a big fan of tariffs, as is his
treasury secretary. Mike Johnson has canceled
floor sessions over the past couple of weeks.
Democrats say it's because he doesn't want to swear in
a newly elected Democrat from Arizona, who
potentially could be the final vote to discharge
Epstein files. Do you believe that? Or do you
think there's another reason the floor the house
hasn't come back to the floor?
>> I think the reason he doesn't want Republicans
back in Washington is I think he wants to control
the narrative as far as what's going on during the
shutdown. And I think he's afraid if you had 200 more
Republicans running around Washington, the reporters
would find somebody to say something that maybe
Speaker Johnson wouldn't like. I was back in
Washington this week. I plan on returning to
Washington next Monday, and me there, they can
interview me there. I don't I don't have a problem
going back to Washington. >> And today, the Trump
administration announced application for federal
disaster relief for six counties damaged by
flooding in August. Some of those in your your district.
What is your reaction to that?
>> I was very disappointed. Obviously, we're very broke.
That may be one of the things that's entering into
the decision. It's we just got out today and I'll be
in contact with the Trump administration and see the