Democrats are refusing to fund President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, and now one congressman wants to ban lawmakers from going to the gym.
Rep. Bill Foster, D-Illinois, introduced legislation earlier this week that would prevent all members of Congress from having access to the congressional fitness center during the government shutdown.
Foster specifically called out soon-to-be-former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in his tweet while peddling his liberal “#TrumpShutdown” talking point.
“I introduced a bill to close the Congressional gym during a government shutdown. [Speaker Ryan] continues to use it during the #TrumpShutdown as federal workers face uncertainty over the holidays. The only task we have right now is ending the #TrumpShutdown,” he tweeted.
I introduced a bill to close the Congressional gym during a government shutdown. @SpeakerRyan continues to use it during the #TrumpShutdown as federal workers face uncertainty over the holidays. The only task we have right now is ending the #TrumpShutdown. https://t.co/kB5k7SFCeD
— Congressman Bill Foster (@RepBillFoster) December 23, 2018
The Shutdown Prioritization Act, which currently has no co-sponsors, takes aim at Ryan and other lawmakers who use the congressional amenities, such as the gym, sauna, and steam room.
In a statement, Foster doubled down on his petty bill and placed all of the blame for the shutdown on Trump and Republicans.
“Republican leadership continues to deem the Congressional spa used by Members of the House of Representatives to be ‘essential,’” Foster wrote.
“Speaker Ryan continues to use the gym during this shutdown while federal workers face uncertainty over the holidays. The only essential task Members of Congress have during a government shutdown is negotiating an end to the shutdown,” he added.
“It’s time to tell President [Donald] Trump and Congressional Republicans to end their Congressional perks during a shutdown and focus on getting the government up and running,” Foster continued. “We need to get federal employees back to work and to provide funding for priorities important to the American people.”
The bill is nothing more than a liberal talking point, but it speaks volumes about what Democrats are focused on during the shutdown.
Rather than work with Trump and Republicans to pass a bill to reopen the government and provide funding for the border wall, Democrats are more worried about stopping Ryan and others from exercising.
Surprisingly enough, New York Democrat Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the only Democrat in all of Congress who has suggested lawmakers should not be allowed to accept their salaries so long as the government is partially closed.
Last Thursday, House Republicans voted 217-185 to approve a measure that would keep the government open and allocate $5.7 billion for border wall funding.
The bill has been stalled in the Senate, with lawmakers back home for the holidays and not a single Democrat in the upper chamber in favor of securing the border.
It’s unclear when the shutdown will end, but at least Democrats are focused on the things that truly matter to voters — forbidding Ryan and others from using the gym.
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