WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) issued the following statement today after Democrats blocked the government funding bill and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization:

“This is an embarrassment to Congress, democracy and the United States of America.  If you shut down government, you’d better have a good reason for doing it.  I defy any Democrat to explain why it was so important to ask our military to sacrifice their pay, furlough hundreds of thousands of workers and reject a long-term renewal of the Children’s Health Insurance Program,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “They need to get their heads out of the sand and do what’s best for this country.”

###