U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) sparred with a Lindell TV reporter on Capitol Hill on Tuesday after acknowledging that Democrats may allow a government shutdown if negotiations fail to include healthcare funding for undocumented immigrants.
Her remarks came as lawmakers faced a midnight deadline to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and open. That deadline passed after too few Senate Democrats voted in favor of a House-passed resolution that kept previous spending levels in place that Democrats had previously agreed to.
During an interview with Lindell TV reporter Alison Steinberg on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Waters (D-Calif.) suggested that Democrats are standing firm on their demand to include healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants in funding negotiations.
“Do Democrats want to prioritize the health care of illegal aliens over a government shutdown?” Steinberg asked.
At first, Waters would not answer the question directly, stating that healthcare is at the top of her party’s list of demands for new funding.
