To watch Senator Capito’s interview, click here or on the image above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of Senate Republican leadership, joined CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss the Senseless Schumer Shutdown.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ON IF DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT: “I think they are looking for a way. They’re still obviously very much invested in having this tied to the premium support discussion, but at the same time, they realize how damaging a government shutdown is to the federal workers, to anybody who needs services, our troops, etc. So, I think they are trying to find a way out and I think they’ve been led by Senator Schumer to place that is almost an impossibility to get a satisfactory answer for them. I’m hoping they see the only way to negotiate and begin to talk about the things they want to talk about is reopen the government, and then everything is back on the table, including appropriations.”

ON ACA PREMIUM SUBSIDIES: “I think the COVID-era expansion that the Democrats put into effect needs to be reigned back in. There’s a lot of fraud and abuse in here in terms of people double signing up, people who don’t even know that they have plans and the insurance companies are getting paid for them. They don’t even access the benefit. We’ve uncovered a lot of that. That’s where the discussion needs to begin. This will not go through with a full extension of life as it is if we get to the point where we’re actually negotiating on this. But here’s the kicker for me, how easy is it to reopen the government? It’s a simple, seven-week reopen. Then we can get to the discussions…Where I think these tax credits should be aimed is for folks who have small businesses. Somebody who’s a beautician, a barber, small mom and pop shops in a small town in West Virginia. Those folks cannot get insurance any other way because it’s unaffordable. Let’s help them. Yes, I’m interested in helping the West Virginians that through no fault of their own cannot get insurance, affordable insurance without some premium support.”

ON A PATH FORWARD TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT: “We’ve already seen several Democrats that have changed their votes and voted to reopen the government. We’re going to have another vote tomorrow. I think we’ll probably see more. I think there’s a lot of pressure, I know there is because I’m talking to them all the time. There’s a lot of pressure to find a way to put a pin in this bubble so we can sit back down again and begin to negotiate…It’s quite simply to reopening the government to begin discussions, to begin regular order on the Senate floor…This is a Schumer Shutdown, he does own this…I think it’s a very simple choice for him.”

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