WASHINGTON — With the government shutdown deadline less than 24 hours away, House Republicans have passed a clean, short-term continuing resolution to responsibly keep the government open, protect veterans and seniors, and allow bipartisan appropriators additional time to finish full-year bills through regular order for the first time since 2019. Democrats, meanwhile, are selling a false narrative:House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.): “Democrats are united in defense of the healthcare of the American people.” (X, 09/24/25)House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass. ): “We are saying… let’s talk about a budget that protects health care for Americans.” (CNN, 09/25/25)Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.): “House Democrats are doing everything we can to protect Americans’ access to affordable quality health care.” (Press Conference, 09/09/25)But their actions prove otherwise. What House Republicans Passed (The Nonpartisan, Clean CR):A clean, nonpartisan, short-term measure to keep the government open while appropriators finish their workSecurity funding for Members of Congress and federal officialsDoes not “gut” or make any change to current health care policyDemocrats’ Radical Counterdemands (The Democrats’ Dirty CR):$1.5 trillion in partisan demands for a four-week extension, including:Restoring taxpayer-funded free health care for illegal aliensKeeping able-bodied, non-working adults on taxpayer-funded health programsable-bodied, non-working adults on taxpayer-funded health programs Permanently extending Biden’s COVID pandemic-era Obamacare subsidiesRepeals $50 billion in rural health care funding, hurting hospitals and clinics in vulnerable communitiesHealth Care Programs Democrats Put at Risk by Voting Down the Republicans’ Clean CR:The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) ProgramCommunity health center fundingMedicare telehealth flexibilitiesVeterans’ suicide prevention grantsNursing home care for disabled veteransMedicare hospital and physician paymentsRural veterans’ mental health programsThe Bottom Line:Democrats insist they are “defending the health care of the American people.” But their plan strips $50 billion from rural hospitals, diverts taxpayer dollars to illegal aliens and able-bodied adults who refuse to work, and risks shutting down veterans’ care, Medicare payments, and community health centers. Democrats aren’t protecting American health care — they are weaponizing these critical services as an excuse to shut down the government and protect themselves from their radical base.