Minority Whip admits Americans suffering under government shutdown is 'LEVERAGE' for Dems

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, the Democratic whip in the House of Representatives, said that although families are suffering due to the government shutdown, the ongoing dispute is a time of political “leverage” for her party.

In an interview with Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram, Clark acknowledged the impact of the shutdown but defended Democrats’ strategy.

“Shutdowns are terrible. And of course there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have,” she said.

Democrats have so far refused to back a clean resolution to temporarily reopen the government, insisting that any funding measure must include an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of this year. Republicans have rejected those demands, saying they will not negotiate on healthcare issues until Democrats agree to reopen the government.

Clark added in the interview that “Fighting for healthcare is our defining issue."

"This is a fight that we are waging on behalf of the American people who are telling us, ‘We're not making it.' And they deserve to have healthcare when they need it that they can afford and where they need it," she explained.

On Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the standoff has now become the longest full government shutdown in US history. In a press conference, Johnson accused Senate Democrats of repeatedly blocking attempts to end the shutdown, saying, “yet again, Senate Democrats voted for the 11th time — 12 times overall, when you count House and Senate Democrats — to prolong the pain and keep the government closed.”

President Donald Trump also weighed in, accusing Democrats of “holding the entire federal government hostage.” He added, “We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs."