AMNA NAWAZ: For the Republican view on the shutdown, we're joined now by Representative Mike Haridopolos of Florida.

Congressman, welcome back to the "News Hour."

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS (R-FL): Great to be here.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, as you just heard, Democrats are not giving in on their demands to reverse the Medicaid cuts, to extend those Affordable Care Act tax credits.

They say people's health costs will go up if you don't take those steps.

Why oppose that?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, first and foremost, let's recognize where we're at.

Their ransom note for this is $1.5 trillion.

And if we want to have a negotiation... AMNA NAWAZ: That's the equivalent of the cuts, right, the Medicaid cuts?

That's what you're talking about?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: When you add up all of their goodies, it's $1.5 trillion.

And let's also be clear, any Medicaid cuts that they talk about wouldn't take place until 2027.

And a person who's disabled, who's an elderly, who's a child of a low-income parent, let alone a pregnant woman, those are untouched.

As you know, we talked about that in July.

But, that said, let's keep the government open and have these thoughtful negotiations.

Democrats did it 13 times during the Biden years.

We think a C.R.

is a smart thing.

It's a continuation of the deal we cut back in March.

And we think keeping the government open is a good idea.

It's what Chuck Schumer said his entire career, and I'd like to think they can do it again.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, as you mentioned, the Medicaid cuts don't go into effect until 2027, but those subsidies do run out at the end of the year.

And Democrats say, look, if the Republicans made these cuts in the first place, why should they trust you that you will negotiate on them in good faith now if you didn't do that before?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think one is, we need to negotiate.

I think it's a thoughtful thing to do.

But let's keep the government in the open in the meantime.

Let's not penalize people for this negotiation that's going on.

But there are problems within that system, I think they'd have to admit.

One is, if you live in Arizona and your family of four and they have an income of $600,000, they get a subsidy.

In Vermont, if you make $180,000 as a single person, you get a subsidy.

I think those are things we will negotiate.

And I'd also like to say that, of those people who are getting these subsidies, 40 percent of them didn't even use that insurance.

So, some people are getting signed up for it.

They're not getting that quality health care they need to have.

That's why we need to have the overhaul, much like we did with Medicaid.

People who really need it, the disabled, the elderly, let's help them.

Same thing with the subsidies.

Truly, people have the financial need, not just another program.

AMNA NAWAZ: I hear you saying you should negotiate.

But, as Leader Jeffries just said, the White House hasn't reached out.

Republican leadership has not reached out to negotiate.

They're basically saying, Democrats need to drop their demands.

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I would say this.

What's the benefit of closing the government?

I can't think of one.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, Democrats would say they're fighting for health care costs here.

They don't want people's costs to go up.

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, let's also say this.

Since Obamacare has been in place, prices has gone up radically.

And a lot of folks are hurting who pay for the private insurance.

AMNA NAWAZ: And this would cause them to go up even further, right?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, that's why we're going to have the debate.

But this is why we're looking at this program.

If they just let the status quo hold, which is their position at this point, when people get insurance paid for or subsidized, and 40 percent don't even use it, there's a problem in the system.

Or if you're a family making $600,000, you shouldn't be having a subsidy.

You shouldn't get other taxpayers to help you out.

But you have to keep the government open.

This is a ransom.

And it's not at the expense of politics.

It's at the expense of people who've earned these benefits or people who pay taxes are not getting the services they deserve.

So let's keep the government open.

This has always been their position for years.

And, again, I'm willing to negotiate.

The speaker said that out loud.

The Senate majority leader said it out loud.

And I take them as honorable people.

AMNA NAWAZ: So Republicans are saying Democrats are causing the shutdown.

Democrats are saying Republicans are causing the shutdown.

weld REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, one thing.

We voted to keep the government open in the House.

Again, we're there.

This is -- when they're saying... AMNA NAWAZ: And Democrats say, if you negotiate with them, they would also agree to the C.R.

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, but, again, we voted.

And now it's up to the Senate to vote as well.

AMNA NAWAZ: Yes.

Well, here's the thing.

In the shutdown now, if there are mass layoffs, people's benefits are cut off or they're slowed, if there's mass travel disruptions like there were last time, do you think people are going to blame Democrats or blame the party that controls the House, the Senate and the White House?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: I'm not a soothsayer.

But -- I don't know that answer.

But I think the right thing to do is to keep the government open.

That's my perspective in this.

And when you talk about how the system works, what I think is silly as a new member of Congress is that all these people are being furloughed.

I don't know if they are being let go permanently or not, but probably just be furloughed.

They're literally not working.

But, as you know, when the government does get back open, they're actually going to get paid for not working.

It's so silly.

And tell me, Washington -- it's the reason I came to this place, to try to reform it, and why you and I have constructive conversations.

We need to move past the hyperpartisanship, keep the government open.

And you know what?

In seven weeks, if we can't work out a deal, the Democrats will probably have a stronger hand.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, you just mentioned people being furloughed.

There's obviously the threats we heard from the president about permanent mass federal layoffs.

I know you were on a call earlier today with the OMB director, Russ Vought.

It's been reported that there could be mass layoffs within one to two days.

Is that what you heard?

What should we expect on this?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, look, I think Russ is -- can only play the hand he's given.

AMNA NAWAZ: Yes.

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: And when the government is shut down because the Democrats won't get 60 votes in the Senate, he has to work within the dollars he's given.

And that's the flexibility we have.

Let's take all these threats off the table.

And... AMNA NAWAZ: But the president is making those threats.

So what did Russ Vought say about those layoffs?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, again, the threat, in my opinion, is, if we -- if you don't get $1.5 trillion in spending back into the government's budget, we're going to close it down.

And this is the same group a couple of months ago told me that the bill from July would cause massive deficits.

They want to add another $1.5 trillion to that deficit.

I don't buy their logic.

AMNA NAWAZ: So what about those layoffs?

What was the mess that you got from Russ Vought on this?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I -- they are looking at all options right now.

We're all optimistic.

Remember, last night, the good news is, three Democrats saw the wisdom of keeping the government open.

I see that a lot of Democrat senators and Republican senators are talking to say, hey, why don't we just keep the government open for seven more weeks and have these real discussions?

And I'm -- again, I have got to think that, in seven weeks, we're going to be in a much better position than we are now, where we're hurting people because they paid for things.

They're not getting the services or they're getting paid to not work.

It's just a silly season in Washington.

AMNA NAWAZ: Congressman, in this shutdown now, will there be layoffs?

What did Russ Vought say?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: I think he's looking at everything across the table.

And it's the reason why we should not have the government shut down.

Let's hope there's no layoffs, because these people should not be the victims of politics.

AMNA NAWAZ: We have also seen the president continue to post these racist videos with a sombrero superimposed on Leader Jeffries' head.

Why does he keep posting those?

What's the message there?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: I think the president's always doing things to change the debate.

And what he's always tried to do is have a little fun in politics.

We have seen all kinds of pushback back and forth.

AMNA NAWAZ: Congressman, how is that fun?

What's the joke there?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think what his point is, he's trying to create more interest in politics, and as the president of the United States, and he's getting a little tired of folks saying one thing and doing another.

AMNA NAWAZ: But how is that helping the debate?

How is that helping to keep the government open or negotiate, as you continue to say needs to happen now?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think these negotiations are going to be productive, and it's up to the senators now to work out some type of either deal or agreement that seven weeks from now we will have this massive debate on health care.

And I'm optimistic that we can get this done.

I think that a lot of Republicans feel like these tax considerations for health care will be a positive one.

We just want to get rid of the waste and fraud.

I mean, when 40 percent of the people don't even use that health care program, clearly, insurance companies are getting paid and no one's getting any services.

AMNA NAWAZ: In this shutdown moment now, I hear you saying you want to see negotiation.

Leader Jeffries is saying no one from Republican leadership has reached out.

Should they negotiate to end the shutdown?

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think, as you know, the process works this way, and I used to teach this in my classes at the college level.

We passed a bill that will keep the government open under the conditions we put out in March.

It's now in the Senate's hands.

As you know, we can't even get something back until the Senate acts one way or another.

So the Senate's going to come up with some type of proposal and send it back to the House.

We have been in good faith always trying to keep the government open.

That has been our position from the beginning.

And that's why I'm here in Washington right now talking with folks and see what's going on.

But when the Democrats say Republicans are AWOL, this is like Tuesday night football.

The vote already happened last week, and let's see what the Senate does.

Let's hope that a few more Democrat senators will come on board to keep the government open.

That's why I'm here.

And I think you ask fair questions.

And that should be the center of the debate that is going to be happening from this point forward once we get the government back open.

AMNA NAWAZ: Republican Congressman from Florida Mike Haridopolos, thank you for being here.

Always appreciate your time.

REP.

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS: Always great.

Thanks for the thoughtful questions.