‘Shame on the Senate Democrats’: Florida Congressman Slams Democrats for Shutdown and Refusal to Pay Troops

Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., weighed in on the Democrat shutdown, the heroes working in his district, and the motivations of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal.

“I think the Senate Democrats are really dug in about trying to hold the line, weather the storm, not to inflict pain on the process, but to try to affect and influence the outcomes in the November elections in Virginia and in New Jersey,” the freshman Florida congressman told The Daily Signal.

Patronis Implores Senate to Pay the Troops

Patronis, however, took issue with Democrat refusals to pay America’s men and women in uniform. He detailed the recent actions of heroes at the military base in his congressional district, who worked to rescue Americans in harm’s way during the government shutdown.

“So, with Hurricane Melissa bearing down on Guantanamo Bay, literally with just a couple hours notice, [Naval Air Station (NAS)] Pensacola, which is in my district, had to prepare for a mass airlift from Guantanamo Bay of almost 900 nonessential personnel,” Patronis said.

“That’s contractors, that’s families, that’s kids, that’s like 400 pets that they flew on five different flights out of Guantanamo into Pensacola, and as they are making ready to put these families up, not knowing what the status of Guantanamo,” the Florida congressman added.

“Northwest Florida stepped up, embraced all of these folks that needed a safe place to go, and you know all of those members of base operations at NAS Pensacola under the leadership of Captain Newman,” Patronis continued. “They’re working without pay to do all this.” 

Patronis laid the blame on Democrat senators, who have repeatedly blocked efforts to open the government and pay the troops.

The Shutdown Pain Could Get Worse

The shutdown pain could soon broaden as Americans prepare to travel for the holidays.. Thousands of flights have already been delayed due to air traffic control absences. The Florida lawmaker pointed out that the shutdown was also preventing the implementation of updates to air traffic control.

“We put $15 billion in the big, beautiful bill to update air traffic control technology. And I mean, right now that’s all in paralysis. None of that’s taken place,” he said. “Then you think about how important it is to get new technology deployed, and every day that we’re not allowing those innovations and investments to take place. That’s just more stress on a system that is overwhelmed and built on architecture that’s 40 years old.

“Shame on the Senate Democrats for not allowing those dollars to be deployed out to help, start embracing these efficiencies as soon as possible,” Patronis said. 

Patronis is a rising star in the Republican Party, having won a special election to succeed Matt Gaetz following his resignation from Congress in November 2024. He previously served as the chief financial officer of Florida and as a representative in the Sunshine State’s state House.

The Far-Left Controls the Democrat Party

The Florida lawmaker also told The Daily Signal that, in his view, the government shutdown was prompted by Senate Democrats’ response to their radical left-wing base.

“I think no matter what Chuck Schumer is getting a challenge from AOC, but if he is seen as working across the aisle with Donald Trump, his base will eat him alive, as they did back in March,” Patronis explained.

“If Chuck Schumer and the Democrats stay dug in, you know, at least that element, that constituency of their base, does not see them playing nice with Donald Trump, who they all hate more than life itself,” Patronis said. “It is all part of Democrats’ “painful strategy that they’ve got hurting people that are innocent this whole process,” he concluded.

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