In response to the Republicans’ failure to negotiate with Democrats on a government funding bill, Ravi Mangla, National Press Secretary for the Working Families Party, has released the following statement on behalf of the party:

“Trump and the Republicans are choosing to shut down the government and withhold paychecks from federal workers, all so they can take away money for health care and give it to billionaires.

“If Republicans get their way, tens of millions will lose their care, premiums will explode, and funding for life-saving cancer research will go away.

“Democrats need to stand firm and fight for a funding bill that keeps families on their health care.”