Statement from State Representative Erik Muckey (D-15) on US Senate Deal to End Longest Government Shutdown in US History

To my constituents and fellow South Dakotans—

Late Sunday evening, the United States Senate reached an initial agreement to reopen the United States government. This is the longest shutdown of the federal government in our nation’s history, at 41 days and counting.

I write to you with mixed emotions as I state two things are true:

I’m grateful, as many of you are, that we’re seeing Congress begin to move forward to reopen the government, as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC benefits, the salaries of air traffic controllers and military personnel, and back pay for thousands of federal workers lie in the balance. Our people and our economic means will continue suffering without an open government.

I am also extremely disappointed in the US Senate for failing to secure a tangible plan to temporarily extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits for millions of Americans, including approximately 48,000 South Dakotans who use the ACA marketplace to secure health insurance.

The actions of the United States Senate, led by John Thune, continue to show they prioritize politics over people’s lives and livelihoods. Choosing to vote on the same, failed Continuing Resolution (CR) to re-open the government 14 times, with ‘no’ votes coming from Democrats and Republicans, sent a message that our Senator and the Trump administration are not serious about addressing the costs that impact your household in any way, shape, or form. Holding families hostage over SNAP funding, let alone allowing Washington bureaucrats to attempt to fire protected federal employees in vital agencies and tearing down the entire East Wing of the White House to build a gilded ballroom, is active cruelty unbefitting of our country.

Let me be clear, also, that I share this message as a rebuke to the members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted for a CR without ACA premium tax credits. A “wink and a nod” is no guarantee of protecting healthcare for millions of Americans. Seeking to protect affordable healthcare may appear partisan, but it is worth fighting for and broadly supported by both South Dakotans and the American public.

That is why two things can be true: I’m grateful to see a path forward to restore salaries and earned benefits to our neighbors, and I’m disappointed in elected officials in Washington who are playing games with healthcare we can’t afford.

I believe that the government has a responsibility to be effective when it is needed. I also believe that a government built for the people and by the people should be responsive to the needs of the people it serves.

In recent polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), approximately 74% of Americans surveyed said they supported reinstating enhanced ACA premium tax credits. That support came from all political stripes: overwhelming majorities of Democrats and Independents and a solid majority of Republicans, including MAGA.

That’s a strong response from Americans to what they’re experiencing. Polling isn’t the sole indicator of how things are, but this shutdown unveiled how Americans feel about their government.

In contrast, this shutdown showed a different version of the “true colors” of the Trump administration. Whether it was taking illegal actions to fire federal workers in agencies that impact your daily life, actively fighting states that funded SNAP benefits for political leverage, or spending millions of dollars to detain citizens and travel to lavish parties and golf outings on his courses, President Trump did it all while holding the current record for the highest number of days in government shutdown of any American president—and it’s still not done yet.

That isn’t to mention what the shutdown unveiled here in South Dakota. In the midst of a SNAP crisis, where approximately $15 million in monthly SNAP benefits are being actively withheld from South Dakotans across the state, Gov. Larry Rhoden has ignored calls from the Joint Democratic Caucus to convene a special session to provide emergency relief for SNAP or food banks under stress. With more than $430 million in state reserves, South Dakota has more than enough cash to support a temporary measure to boost support for our families. Instead, the Governor has said no and suggested South Dakotans should contribute more of their own money to food banks and churches beyond the taxes we already pay.

Four of our 6 neighboring states have already taken action to support food banks. 36 out of 50 states have taken action to help their residents. Three counties in South Dakota are among the top 10 counties with the highest per capita rates of SNAP benefit recipients nationwide. Without that $15 million entering the state, nearly 75,000 families will face food shortages without a response, and the state is set to lose $23 million in economic impact unless payments are made this month.

The people I serve are worth fighting for, and I’m proud to join my colleagues to fight for you. That’s because I’ve been listening to what you share with me.

I’ve heard from fellow South Dakotans who have pointed out to me that the ACA premium tax credits may not be reducing healthcare costs in the long run, and that the shutdown is not worth it for that reason. Ultimately, there are some truths to those statements, as healthcare costs continue to rise and concerns about insurance and healthcare consolidation for profit have risen nationally. Concerns about preventing corporate greed in healthcare or health insurance are not new concepts in South Dakota. That’s why I am currently working with legislative colleagues to address anti-competitive behaviors that keep communities from deciding what to do with a closed healthcare facility—especially when it comes to providing local, long-term care for our aging families. Over many years, efforts have been made both nationally and at the state level to reform health insurance, culminating in the decision South Dakotans made in November 2022 to expand Medicaid. However, we still need reforms to prevent profiteering and anti-competitive actions in healthcare, both at the local and national levels. And it can’t just be a temporary fix.

I’ve also heard from many constituents whose healthcare premiums are skyrocketing in real time as open enrollment comes to a close this month. Some of you have shared your premiums increasing by two-, three-, or even five-fold, making it unclear whether you can afford to have health insurance at all. At a time when our state and country are both experiencing heightened inflation and economic distress, cost increases add to the message that the American dream isn’t much of a reality today.

We cannot leave our neighbors to go without access to healthcare. A solution must be found, and at a minimum, a temporary extension of enhanced tax credits must be enacted. You have a right to be angry about higher costs for healthcare and to demand action from your elected officials. We have a responsibility to listen to our constituents and find solutions, even if they are imperfect and need refinement.

That’s why I’ve shared that any continuing resolution to reopen the federal government needs an extension of ACA premium tax credits. It’s also why I’ve joined my colleagues in demanding that Governor Rhoden take action on SNAP, because Washington politics isn’t a reason for South Dakota to stand by in the face of a crisis.

We need elected officials who listen and act. We need leaders who are more interested in policy than in photo opportunities. And we certainly need changes in Washington and Pierre so that our government returns to people over politics.

Today, I am sharing these words with you because I believe you deserve to hear where your elected officials stand. You elected me one year ago after a long, hard-fought campaign focused on quality education, affordable healthcare, and creating an economy that benefits everyone in our district and our state. I believe in that, and so do the people of our district.

I won’t walk away from those promises. And I’ll tell you the truth about the decisions I make when I’m in committee or on the House floor. Principles do matter.

I’m committed to you because you are worth fighting for. My job isn’t to do what’s popular, but it is to do what is right. I’m listening to you and serving you every day, regardless of your party and beliefs, and especially when politicians in Washington and Pierre refuse to do so.

In service,

Representative Erik Muckey
District 15 (downtown and north central Sioux Falls)