Democrats Prevent Shutdown While Schweikert, Ciscomani Leave the Door Open to Harmful Cuts

House GOP Has Passed Multiple Bills to Cut Services, Shield Wealthy Tax Cheats from Scrutiny

PHOENIX — While votes from Democrats were needed to avoid a government shutdown today, Congressman David Schweikert voted to shut the government down while he and Congressman Juan Ciscomani left the door open to harmful cuts to critical services that they hope to pass at a future date.

Schweikert and Ciscomani have already voted this year for funding bills that cut access to health care and raise Arizonans’ energy costs while also threatening Arizonans' access to clean water. House Republicans still plan to vote on funding bills that cut support for rural and Latino-owned small businesses and cut support for education and job training programs in the coming weeks. 

Many of the funding bills that Schweikert and Ciscomani have voted for and are expected to vote for include provisions to shield wealthy tax cheats from paying their fair share, despite the IRS already being able to recoup over $160 million in back taxes from millionaires using the very funding they have voted to cut.  

“Congressmen Schweikert and Ciscomani have their priorities all wrong: their constituents want better health care and clean water, not favors for tax cheats,” said Andrea Moreno, executive director of Honest Arizona. “Congressmen Schweikert and Ciscomani have bought themselves more time, and they have an opportunity to vote against remaining funding bills that raise our costs while shielding wealthy tax cheats.”

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