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Sen. Bill Cassidy blames Schumer/AOC faction for shutdown, warns veterans' services will be delayed
Summary
In a broadcast interview, Sen. Bill Cassidy said the government shutdown will continue until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer deems it politically disadvantageous, echoed concerns from Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins that shutdown weeks delay transition assistance and counseling, and said Republicans would support a short-term extension to buy negotiating time.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) told a broadcast interviewer the federal government shutdown will "last as long as Chuck Schumer thinks it's to his political advantage," saying Senate Democratic leaders have been pushed by a "fringe left" and the Schumer/AOC wing to resist reopening the government.
The moderator played a clip attributed to Vice President JD Vance in which Vance told viewers: "The reason your government is shut down at this very minute is because ... the Chuck Schumer AOC wing of the Democratic party shut down the government because they said to us, 'We will open the government, but only if you give billions of dollars of funding for health care for illegal aliens.'" The program presented that statement as one explanation offered by administration allies for the impasse.
Cassidy said Republicans want to reopen the government but that political calculations are prolonging the stalemate. "I think it lasts as long as Chuck Schumer thinks it's to his political advantage," he said, adding he hopes leaders will "get back to the table" and that a short extension would provide breathing room to negotiate.
The broadcast also included remarks from Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins warning of near-term service disruptions. Collins said the shutdown affects "transition program assistance, career counseling, our outreach to veterans, our outreach to state, county, tribal" partners and that losing weeks of service pushes veterans "to the back of the line." The moderator asked whether Cassidy, as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, was worried; Cassidy responded that he agreed with Collins and said veterans "need not to have their care and service delayed."
On possible procedural fixes, the moderator cited reports senators discussed a short, one-month extension of the current budget and a one-year extension of health-care subsidies. Cassidy said he would support a short-term extension to allow more time to work out differences and emphasized a request for "seven weeks" to continue negotiations rather than forcing an immediate reopening demand.
The interview ended with Cassidy reiterating that Republicans and some moderate Democrats want to reopen the government and that negotiations should resume. No formal legislative action or vote results were reported during the segment.
