IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Rep. Kelly Discusses Government Shutdown & Protecting Americans From Obamacare on CNBC
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WASHINGTON — Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” to discuss the ongoing partial shutdown of the federal government and efforts by the House of Representatives to fund the government while delaying the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
Highlights from Rep. Kelly’s remarks:
“I think, when you talk about spinning your wheels, it’s very difficult to sit down and compromise when somebody else won’t join in the conversation.”
“I think the House has done the responsible thing. It really comes down to what’s fair here. What is fair? Why do we have these carve-outs? Why do we have these exclusive breaks for certain people and not for all America?”
“We’re asking for the Senate to sit down with us. Let’s do what’s fair for the people who sent us here to represent them. I think that’s so basic, that’s so American. I’m trying to understand what part of that don’t they get?”
“The president has said many times, ‘I am willing to sit down with anybody that would come forward and have a great idea’ — except Republicans. There’s no Republican idea that he will accept. The Senate won’t accept any Republican idea.”
“This is not about a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda. This is about the American people suffering right now and overwhelmingly looking at this new law and saying, ‘It just doesn’t make sense right now. I don’t think we’re ready for it.’ … It’s not ready today. So why force it down the people’s throats?”
“We were reelected too. The American people also reelected Republicans to run the House of Representatives. So, there’s no clear mandate out there that the president got reelected just because of the health care bill.”
“The government is open today. The government is not shut down. If you’re worried about your social security check, you’re going to get it. If you have a son or a daughter in the military, in uniform protecting this country, they’re still going to get paid. Medicare, Medicaid — all those are taken care of. If you want to fly, don’t worry — the airports are open, the air traffic controllers are up in their office, the TSA people are there.”
“When I ran my own business, I had to make decisions based on what was best for the people that I serve and that’s my customers. So we always had cutbacks in tough times, but we rebounded from it and we always did something that made sense for the people we serve. My goodness, isn’t that what it’s about?”
“We better be doggone sure that when we do this [raise the debt ceiling], that we’re doing the right thing for the American people. And not just today, and not just for the next election. How about the way the government’s supposed to work and the way we’re supposed to represent? This is not a Republican agenda for me, guys. This is what the people of the United States expect us to do. If we can’t have these heavy debates, why in the heck are we here? I’m not going to go along to get along. I’m going to do what’s best for the people that sent me. That’s my job.”
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