Young Blames Democrats for Shutdown, Urges Action to Pay Troops
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) on Wednesday joined Fox Business’s The Claman Countdown with Liz Claman to discuss the ongoing federal government shutdown, placing the blame squarely on Senate Democrats for obstructing efforts to reopen the government and stressing the impact on military families’ paychecks.
Senator Young, who stated he has voted nine times to fund and reopen the government, characterized the Democratic opposition as a failure to uphold their “most fundamental responsibility.”
“The Democrats continue to obstruct efforts to keep government running—their most fundamental responsibility,” Young said, adding that they “would rather hold hostage the American people” and create “collateral damage” with essential services, including defense.
Military Pay Uncertainty is the ‘Worrisome Point of Contention’
The senator, who is a Marine veteran, focused heavily on the financial uncertainty facing U.S. servicemembers and their families. While acknowledging President Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant’s efforts to ensure military members receive their current paychecks, Young emphasized the need for a lasting solution.
“You can’t not pay our military members,” he asserted.
Reflecting on his own service during two previous government shutdowns, Young said his primary concern was for his troops, many of whom are low-ranking “lance corporals, your corporals, your sergeants” with spouses and young children.
“They’re not paid very much to put their lives on the line on behalf of us and our freedoms,” he said, noting that families are struggling to make rent or mortgage payments and, in some cases, resorting to food banks. “We owe them better government service than this.”
Short-Term Fixes Not Enough
Young confirmed that the Pentagon had identified roughly $8 billion in unspent research and development funds to cover the current mid-month paychecks for the military. However, he warned this is not a sustainable solution.
“$8 billion is a lot of money in the young household… But in Pentagon terms, it’s basically finding coins under the seat cushion,” Young said. “This will not last a long time, which is why it’s really important that Democrats wise up.”
He called the situation a “manufactured crisis courtesy of the Democrat members of the U.S. Senate” and pleaded with Democrats to “change their vote and join us Republicans” to open the government.
Seeking a Path Forward
When asked about President Trump’s directive to target specific programs in Democratic districts, Young expressed sympathy for the President’s limited options.
“The president doesn’t have many good options here,” Young said. He reminded viewers that while Republicans may control the executive branch and one chamber of Congress, “it still takes 60 votes in the United States Senate to end debate and to vote on funding government.”
Young concluded that the goal is to open all of government and move away from a continuing resolution based on a prior administration’s budget, instead funding appropriations bills under a Trump budget.
