Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY17) on potential Government shutdown, September 30th, 2025

The Federal Government is on the verge of a shutdown, as Congressional leaders will need to agree on a stopgap funding plan by midnight on Tuesday. CBS6 spoke with NY-17 Congressman Mike Lawler (R) on Monday: "What's a non negotiable for you at this point that you think you need to hold the line?" "We have passed Continuing Resolutions to keep the government funded year after year after year when Republicans and Democrats have been in charge. This is a straightforward, clean CR to keep the government funded through November 21 so that Congress can finish its appropriations negotiations between the House and the Senate and the White House to pass a final Fiscal Year 26 appropriations package. What has changed here is that Democrats in Washington, and in particular Senate [Minority] Leader Chuck Schumer, have changed their position. They no longer believe in clean CRs. They want to demand a pound of flesh in exchange for their votes, and that's just not the way that government should function. We have a responsibility, as my Democratic colleagues have said, time and again, to keep the government funded to ensure there are no disruptions to things like Social Security or veterans benefits or border security or our military, and to make sure that we are doing the work of the American people. We do not want to have a government shutdown which will create chaos in the marketplace and in our economy, which is totally unwarranted and unnecessary. There is a clean CR on the table that already passed the house. All the Senate has to do is follow their own rules. You need 60 votes to break the filibuster and pass a clean CR, which the Democrats did every time during Joe Biden's presidency. The only difference now is that Donald Trump is president, and Chuck Schumer seemingly is worried about a primary from his left." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices