Congresswoman Again Sounded the Alarm of GOP Shutdown on Health and Livelihoods of Families in Massachusetts and Nationwide

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), joined her DWC colleagues for a press conference to call attention to the impacts of the Republican-manufactured health care crisis and government shutdown on women, families, and workers in the Massachusetts 7^th and across the country.

Footage of the Congresswoman’s remarks at the press conference is available here and a transcript is available below.

Transcript: Pressley, DWC Highlight Harm of Republican Shutdown on Healthcare of Women and Families
October 15, 2025
U.S. Capitol

Thank you, Chairwoman Leger-Fernández and everyone for joining us here this afternoon, here at the Capitol, where Democrats continue to fight for the health of families across this nation, while our Republican colleagues are nowhere to be seen. 

Today marks two weeks since this Republican shutdown of the government, two weeks. Two weeks where real people and real lives have been disrupted. 

Our greatest wealth as a nation is the health of our people. 

This Republican manufactured government shutdown is wholesale, widespread harm targeted at our most vulnerable neighbors, especially women and children.

Babies who will go without, elders who will struggle needlessly.

40% of births in America are Medicaid births, and Republicans stand ready to dismantle Medicaid as we know it. 

WIC is a lifeline that helps new parents keep their babies fed. Republicans’ government shutdown will run down critical funding for that program in a matter of weeks. 

These are not just numbers. These are real people—real people in my district, the Massachusetts 7th and across our country. 

This is a grandmother in Dorchester who was already skipping meals to pay for prescriptions. 

This is a young mom in Chelsea who told me she doesn’t know how she’ll afford her child’s asthma inhaler if premiums go up. 

This is a federal employee in Somerville furloughed, left without pay, yet eager to get back to their unfinished work, desperate to do so. 

We stand here today to continue sounding the alarm about the hurt and harm our constituents and their families are feeling across the country. 

Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson is ignoring his constituents who are begging him for help while he falls in line behind the occupant of the White House’s reign of terror and retribution.

From his cruel attacks on health care or his ongoing mass layoffs, Trump is using the shutdown that he created as an excuse to keep attacking our dedicated federal workforce. 

The cruelty is truly the point. 

The first event I held after Republicans shut down the government was an emergency convening in my district to hear directly from labor leaders, advocates and those delivering essential services to communities in need in Massachusetts and across our country.

I asked them in one word to speak to what they were feeling. They said, “nervous,” “exhausted,” “fearful.” Fearful of the uncertainty of tomorrow. 

To our shared constituents, we stand here today and every day, to protect your lives and livelihoods. 

We demand Republicans reopen the government and address the health care crisis they created, and we’ll continue fighting to affirm your right, not only to survive but to thrive. 

Our fight isn’t over, and we won’t give up on you.

—

Amid the Republican-manufactured government shutdown, Rep. Pressley has continued to fight to defend healthcare, reopen the government, and protect federal workers and the essential services they provide.

• Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning Republicans after they chose to shut down the government rather than work with Democrats to protect families and save healthcare for millions.
• Just days into the government shutdown, Rep. Pressley held an emergency convening in Boston to highlight the harm of the shutdown to MA-07 constituents – federal workers, patients, advocates, and more.
• Amid government shutdown, Rep. Pressley and Senator Tina Smith reintroduced bill to provide back pay for federal contract workers, including low-wage food service and janitorial staff.
• Just hours before the Republicans shut down the government, Rep. Pressley rallied with advocates, colleagues, and impacted folks to demand Republicans protect healthcare and keep the government open
• Congresswoman Pressley stood in solidarity with workers and families who would be impacted by the government shutdown.
• Rep. Pressley also joined an all-day event with House Democrats to hold the line against Trump and Republicans’ efforts to rip away healthcare from millions of Americans.

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