Ernst Names Schumer as Non-Essential Employee of the Year

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) called out Chuck Schumer and the Democrats for appeasing the far left rather than delivering for hardworking Americans as they double down on a government shutdown.

On the Senate floor, Ernst exposed Schumer’s hypocrisy as he threatens a shutdown even after he previously said, “A government shutdown would mean crushing delays to veterans’ programs, nutrition programs for women, infants, and children, delayed benefits for our military, and so much more.”

Last week, Ernst requested a detailed cost breakdown of a Schumer shutdown, including delayed pay for servicemembers, disruptions to small businesses, lost revenue across the private sector, and long-term economic fallout. In a report released this afternoon, the Congressional Budget Office stated that paying thousands of non-essential bureaucrats for not working during the Schumer Shutdown will cost taxpayers roughly $400 million a day.

Watch Ernst’s full remarks here.

“On behalf of all Americans— for his rudderless leadership, his petty partisanship, and his silly shut down shenanigans – the recipient of the non-essential government employee of the year for 2025 is Senator Chuck Schumer,” said Ernst.

Ernst’s full remarks as delivered:

“The same Washington politicians who were whining about DOGE laying off unnecessary bureaucrats just a few months ago are now exposing who is and isn’t an essential employee by forcing a government shutdown.

“In the past, non-essential employees were sent home and eventually paid for not working during a shutdown.

“This is an absolute waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

“With Democrats blocking passage of the bill to keep the government open, thousands of non-essential employees could be furloughed indefinitely when funding expires tonight at midnight.

“Instead of paying these bureaucrats for not working, the Trump administration may eliminate many of these non-essential positions altogether.

“Of course, our brave men and women in uniform will continue answering the call to duty without pay if there is a shutdown, as will other essential employees.

“But you know who will still get paid?

“The politicians who failed to do their jobs and caused the shutdown, namely Senator Schumer and the Democrats in Congress.

“Keep in mind the bill they are blocking would keep the government funded at Biden’s budget levels while we continue working out our differences.

“Senator Schumer himself stated earlier this year:

‘No reasonable member on either side – Democrat or Republican – wants a government shutdown.

‘Both sides recognize that a government shutdown would mean crushing delays to veterans’ programs, nutrition programs for women, infants, and children, delayed benefits for our military, and so much more.’

“Senator Schumer went on to say only extremists who can’t win an argument are willing to shutdown the government to bully everyone else into submission.

“And folks, that’s exactly what is happening now.

“But—ironically—it is Senator Schumer who is being bullied by the extremists within his own party.

“These are the radical socialists demanding we defund the police and ICE and allow our streets and borders to once again be overcome by chaos and lawlessness.

“Senator Schumer previously shut down the government for over a month in a failed attempt to stop President Trump from securing our southern border.

“During that time, food safety inspections were stopped; permanent damage was done to some of our national parks; scientific research was put on hold; applications for small business loans became backlogged; the low-income folks, the elderly, and people with disabilities lost rental assistance and were forced to live in fear of eviction; and 300,000 federal employees, who went without a paycheck for over a month, were eventually paid for doing nothing—costing taxpayers $3 billion.

“Folks, no one wins when Democrats shut down the government.

“It is obvious the Democratic leader is shutting down the government for one simple reason—to protect his own job.

“But that’s not even working.

“Just last week, the Washington newspaper Politico reported that across the county, the Democratic base is rebelling against Schumer’s ‘rudderless leadership.’

“Well folks, that’s a sentiment we all share!

“From the far left to the right, there is widespread disappointment with Senator Schumer’s inability to perform his basic duties, like doing his part to make sure our military gets paid on time and the government stays open.

“So, on behalf of all Americans— for his rudderless leadership, his petty partisanship, and his silly shut down shenanigans, the recipient of the non-essential government employee of the year for 2025 is Senator Chuck Schumer.”

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