Courtney: This Shutdown is Completely Unnecessary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) released the follow statement on the impending government shutdown:

“This shutdown is completely unnecessary. The flawed Republican spending bill which will leave 24 million Americans exposed to skyrocketing health care costs was doomed to fall short of 60 votes. Incredibly, rather than show up for work this week, Speaker Johnson canceled previously scheduled session in the House yesterday and today. We are mere hours away from a harmful, costly government shutdown, and the House majority is not even here to work to avoid it. It’s surreal.

“Connecticut’s Second District is home to more federal workers than any other Congressional District in our state, including nearly 8,000 Navy sailors and officers at Sub Base New London, staff at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and more workers at the FAA, the IRS, the TSA and other federal agencies. Refusal to even come to Washington to try to prevent a shutdown is an insult to the workers and their families who show up for work when called on.

“The clear middle ground to is to pass a truly clean bill that funds the government and prevents a health care cost hike by maintaining longstanding Affordable Care Act tax credits. If Congress fails to maintain these tax credits in a bill to fund the government, millions of Americans will see their 2026 premiums skyrocket. This isn’t an issue that Congress can kick down the road. Notices for 2026 Access Health CT plan premiums are set to go out in early October, and roughly 22,000 residents in Connecticut’s Second District will see their annual premium cost go up. For example, a couple in their mid-60s in Hebron with an annual income of $107,000 will see their annual premium increase by $39,060, according to Access Health CT. This is totally unacceptable and easily preventable if Congress simply maintains the longstanding Affordable Care Act tax credits. 

“During this shutdown, my office will remain open and ready to assist Second District residents with questions about the impacts of the shutdown. Constituents can call my office at 860-886-0139 or visit courtney.house.gov/shutdown.”

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