Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement after Congress failed to pass legislation to avert a shutdown of the federal government. House Republicans insisted on dismantling or defunding the Affordable Care Act as a condition to continue funding the government.

“Republicans played chicken with the government and our economy, and the American people lost,” Larsen said.

“When veterans’ phone calls go unanswered, when school children are turned away from national parks, and when scientists working on the flu vaccine are told to go home, Americans will at least know who broke their government.

“Republican leaders said they didn’t want a shutdown and they didn’t want Obamacare. But on Tuesday morning we’ll wake up to a government that is shut down and Obamacare in full operation. Thousands of Washington residents will be able to enroll in high-quality health care plans they never had access to before. Seniors are saving thousands of dollars on their medications. And being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.

“Congress needs to do a lot more than just fight over whether to keep the lights on. We need to undo this reckless and unnecessary shutdown and get Congress back to work on improving the economy.”