Updated October 3, 2025 at 3:14 PM EDT
Georgia Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock says the federal government shutdown is not about whether Republicans or Democrats "win or lose."
Leaders of both parties remained steadfast in their positions after the shutdown began Wednesday: Democrats want to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that millions rely on and undo health spending cuts from President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Republicans say they want to negotiate the subsidies after reaching an agreement to fund the government.
Warnock told Morning Edition that Georgians in rural areas have expressed concerns about losing access to health care. He said a small business owner told him she decided to close her business because paying for health insurance would be too expensive without ACA subsidies.
The senator told NPR's Leila Fadel that the White House should "stop acting like these are pieces on a chessboard. These are people's lives."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats for the shutdown during an interview with Morning Edition, saying they picked a "partisan fight" over healthcare spending at the "ninth hour."
Leavitt also defended the Trump administration's plans for permanent layoffs during the shutdown. She said President Trump planned to meet with the Office of Management and Budget to decide what agencies are essential and which ones "do not align with the administration's 'priorities and values.'"
The White House singled out Warnock and fellow Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a post on X, saying their votes in the Senate left military service members without pay at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia and hurt businesses around it. The federal government employs more than 100,000 people in Georgia, according to the state's Department of Labor.
Warnock defended his recent votes, saying he "voted to keep the government open a few times this week," referring to a Democrat-backed plan that would have funded the government, extended ACA subsidies and repealed cuts to health care programs. "Why don't they come down to Georgia and look into the faces of the people that I'm seeing?"
As a pastor, Warnock said he's "hoping against hope" that GOP members will come to negotiate and realize that federal cuts to health care spending will hurt their own constituents.
"They're betting that I care more about these people in Georgia who are losing their jobs and who are struggling with health care than they do. And sadly, that appears to be the case," Warnock said. "I hope they'll center the people and then we have a chance at getting the public policy right."
Ally Schweitzer edited the digital and radio versions of this story. Nia Dumas produced the radio version.
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