A heated exchange on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday saw Georgia Republican Rep. Buddy Carter and Michigan Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell collide over accusations that Democrats are blocking a government funding bill to secure healthcare for undocumented immigrants, as the government shutdown continues.
The clash came as Democrats deny the Republican-led charge, and a recent poll shows that 47% of voters hold Congressional Republicans more responsible for the ongoing shutdown, which began last Wednesday.
CNN host Jake Tapper pressed Rep. Carter on the poll numbers, asking for his response to Americans “blaming you guys.”
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Carter was quick to deflect the blame, asserting, “Well, and they shouldn’t be, because this is clearly the ‘Schumer Shutdown.’ This is a shutdown that the Democrats instigated, all in the name of trying to get healthcare for illegals.”
He specifically cited efforts by Democrats to reverse provisions in the Working Families Tax Act that restricted Medicaid access for undocumented immigrants. “They are wanting to reverse what we did in the Working Families Tax Act. What we did was to make sure that illegals are not going to get Medicaid,” Carter claimed.
Rep. Dingell vehemently pushed back, framing the Republican argument as a denial of care to those in desperate need.
“If someone’s dying, they shouldn’t be able to get medical care. Is that what we’re saying?” Dingell demanded, referencing religious obligations. “It’s a Sunday! What does the Bible teach us? ‘When I was sick, you took care of me.’ You’re going to deny someone dying health care?”
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Carter countered that current law, specifically the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) from the Reagan administration, already requires hospitals receiving Medicare funds to provide emergency treatment regardless of ability to pay or legal status—a point he agreed on with host Tapper.
“No, we can’t do that. The Supreme Court has ruled on that,” Carter said, but insisted that Democrats are still attempting to legislatively expand access.
The argument centers on legislative text in the Democrats’ proposed continuing resolution.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly pointed to Section 2141 of the Democrats’ bill, which seeks to repeal a measure (Section 71109) that restricts “Alien Medicaid eligibility.”
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