Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto Talks Shutdown Negotiations

Summary

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Bloomberg Talks: Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto Talks Shutdown Negotiations

Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the ongoing federal government shutdown, highlighted as the second-longest in U.S. history and potentially set to become the longest. The conversation explores bipartisan efforts to resolve the impasse, the critical issue of Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care subsidies, the role of political leadership—particularly that of President Donald Trump—and the shutdown’s real-world impacts, especially in Nevada. The episode wraps with Senator Cortez Masto's views on impending Russian sanctions amid broader foreign policy concerns.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bipartisan Efforts and the ACA Health Care Subsidies

• Senator Cortez Masto opens by emphasizing a coalition of both Democrats and Republicans working behind the scenes to break the shutdown deadlock and secure the extension of ACA health care subsidies.
  • Quote (00:47):
    "There's a group of U.S. Democrats and Republicans trying to come together and help get through this impasse. ... We need to open up the government and we need to extend the health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. I think there's the AB to do both."
• She highlights the universal impact of failing to extend these subsidies:
  • Quote (01:29):
    "I don't care. With your blue state, red state, purple state. It's about Americans ... If we don't [extend subsidies], there's probably about 22 million Americans ... not only going to see their health care costs go up, some of them are going to lose access to health care because they can't afford it."

2. Negotiations and the Role of Political Leadership

• Senator Cortez Masto stresses that progress depends on participation from Republican leadership and direct engagement from President Trump.
  • Quote (02:45):
    "A key part of this conversation is going to be the man in the White House, Donald Trump, because the leadership of Republicans in the Republican Party ... they're only going to do what he says."
  • She critiques Trump for not being present in Washington to mediate talks.
• The Senator underscores the personal and systemic consequences if no solution is found, using a hypothetical Nevada family:
  • Quote (03:38):
    "If you're making $56,000 a year, you're going to see your health care premium go up by at least $200. That's crazy. There's going to be double dig increase for premiums..."
  • She describes ripple effects on hospital systems and emergency care.

3. Long-Term Continuing Resolutions (CRs) vs. Genuine Negotiation

• The possibility of a long-term CR (to 2026) is raised, with the Senator lamenting that significant negotiation occurs through the media rather than between lawmakers.
  • Quote (04:53): "Instead of ... talking amongst each other, Democrats and Republicans ... we're hearing conversations from the press and offers coming from the press. No offense to both of you, but this is where this should happen: right here in Washington."
  • Expresses frustration with leadership on both sides not working collaboratively.

4. What Could End The Impasse?

• Turning point would come from honest discussions on priorities: reopening government, passing appropriations, and fixing ACA.
  • Quote (05:37): "We all obviously need to open up the government. We have to address ... appropriations bills ... and we have to fix the Affordable Care Act. All of those things are on the table."

5. Real-World Shutdown Impacts in Nevada and National Security

• Details broad consequences in Nevada:
  • Furlough of nuclear stockpile inspectors (national security risk)
  • Ripple effects in tourism, housing, and small business lending
  • Federal workers and contractors suffering as “pawns” in political games
  • Quote (06:30):
    "Federal workers and federal contracts are constantly pawns and at the whims of political agendas. And it's just outrageous to me ... This is a very example of what the impact is in Nevada."
  • Notes housing market slowdowns and stalled SBA loans due to lack of federal workers.

6. Foreign Policy: Sanctions on Russia

• Senator Cortez Masto expresses strong support for upcoming sanctions on Russia and continued support for Ukraine.
  • Quote (09:03): "I support sanctions against Russia and have in the past and will continue to do so. I think we need to put as much pressure as we can on Russia. I support Ukraine. What is going on is outrageous."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bipartisanship:
  "There's a group of U.S. Democrats and Republicans trying to come together and help get through this impasse." (00:47, Cortez Masto)
• On President Trump's Role:
  "Donald Trump has to be a part of this conversation. He can't be flying around everywhere. He needs to be here in Washington bringing the parties together." (03:02, Cortez Masto)
• On Shutdown Impact:
  "Federal workers and federal contracts are constantly pawns ... and it's just outrageous to me." (06:46, Cortez Masto)
• On Russian Sanctions:
  "We have to continue using the levers that we have here. Some of those are sanctions ... and I hope we do use all the levers we can to hold Russia and Putin accountable." (09:17, Cortez Masto)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:47–02:31: Bipartisan efforts, ACA subsidies, and the impact of losing them
• 02:45–04:16: Negotiations; President Trump's vital role; cost of inaction for families
• 04:53–05:30: Critique of negotiating through the press; call for real leadership
• 06:04–08:41: Nevada-specific impacts; nuclear security, tourism, small business loans
• 09:03–09:35: Foreign policy and sanctions on Russia

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Conclusion

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto voices urgent concern about the ongoing government shutdown, pressing for real bipartisan negotiation and direct leadership engagement. She points to critical health care issues and dire economic and security impacts, particularly in Nevada. Throughout, she calls for practical, people-first solutions and a return to governance over partisan maneuvering, concluding with an unequivocal stance for strong action against Russia on the international stage.

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Transcript

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[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio.

[Interviewer/Host]

News With the federal shutdown now becoming the second longest in U.S. history, signs today it could become the longest one ever. With both parties still far apart and far away from a deal.

But there are lawmakers who are reaching across the aisle. Among them, Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. We spoke with Senator Cortez Masto earlier today, and we asked her about the yay vote and where the shutdown goes from here. Here's that conversation.

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Well, I can tell you just in general, there's a group of U.S. democrats and Republicans trying to come together and help get through this impasse. There's an impasse right now. We need to open up the government and we need to extend the health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. I think there's the AB to do both. And that's. Those are the conversations that are taking place with some of us right now, both Rs and Ds.

[Interviewer/Host]

Well, depending on who you talk to right now, Senator, and I'm sure you know this all too well, you are either a profile in courage or you're a problem for your party. And I'm wondering what the conversations are like in the cloakroom. Are you trying to get other Democrats to join you? And are you surprised that hasn't happened yet? I think it's 12 rounds today. Right.

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Well, I can say this. There's we're all aligned in the sense that we're we're fighting for Americans. Right? We're fighting for this country. We're fighting for health care. We're taking on what we see are the bad policies of this administration. And it is not just unique to Democrats. I can tell you right now there were some of my Republican colleagues that want to address the Affordable Care act and address the health care subsidies, the tax credit. They need to, because in their states, Americans will be harmed if we do not extend these health care subsidies. And that is true across the country. I don't care. With your blue state, red state, purple state. It's about Americans in supporting, supporting them and helping them lower their health care costs. This is one way we can do it. And that's why both Democrats and there are some Republicans who want to extend this health care subsidy. And they should, because if we don't, there's probably about 22 million Americans across the country that are not only going to see their health care costs go up, some of them are going to lose access to health care because they can't afford it.

[Interviewer/Host]

Senator, you said that you believe that you can reopen the government and extend the subsidies. I'm curious, in your conversations with the other senators, do you have some guarantees from Republicans that they will vote in favor of it?

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Well, those are the conversations and negotiations now, because clearly we have to do both. And I will tell you, a key part of this conversation is going to be the man in the White House, Donald Trump, because the leadership of Republicans in the Republican Party, in Congress, they're only going to do what he says. So they have to be a part of this conversation. And Donald Trump has to be a part of this conversation. He can't be flying around everywhere. He needs to be here in Washington bringing the parties together, being a constructive part of addressing the health care costs that we have in this country. If he were to engage, that would help us move through this impasse of opening up the government and addressing the Affordable Care act subsidies so that we do not see health care insurance premiums increase for families. I can't stress this enough, and it's just not unique to Nevada. I know my family's in Nevada, family of four. If you're making $56,000 a year, you're going to see your health care premium go up by at least $200. That's crazy. There's going to be double dig increase for premiums for people and they are not going to be able to afford it. That means we're going to lose people on health care. And the only time now we will see them if they have an acute crisis and they're going to show up in emergency rooms, it's going to have a ripple effect for everybody's health care coverage in this country and it's going to have an impact on all of our hospitals and our clinics, including in our urban and rural areas. So we really need to come together to address this issue in this country. And that requires all of us talking and get beyond this impasse and start addressing and solving the problems of the American public. This is what they want us to to do.

[Interviewer/Host]

The continuing resolution that you've been voting for, Senator, only runs through the 21st of November. So there's been a question about whether that date needs to change. There's also a question about whether this could be extended by a much greater length of time. John thune suggested just 24 hours ago that a full year CR might be the only way out of this. The White House has suggested it. And we spoke earlier today with the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Jason Smith told us he would support such a move. So you're not facing potential shutdowns every couple of months here. How about you? Through December 2026. Would you vote for that?

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Well, let me just say this. This is part of the problem. Instead of coming to talk leadership, talking amongst each other, Democrats and Republicans and all of us working together like we normally should, we're hearing conversations from the press and offers coming from the press. No offense to both of you, but this is where this should happen, right here in Washington. And that's coming to the table, having these conversations. That's part of the impasse. And this is my frustration and my colleagues and we see the same frustration, Republican leadership, Democratic leadership, the White House. We need to all be in the same room. We need to be working like the American public expects us to do in Congress and do our jobs.

[Interviewer/Host]

Senator, though you are not all in the same room. So what do you believe could be the turning point here?

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

I think it starts with the conversations around things that you've just said. We all obviously need to open up the government. We have to address an appropriations bills and still pass those. We're going to need time to get those done. And we, we have to fix the Affordable Care Act. All of those things are on the table. It's not going to change. And that's why we have to come together and start talking about those and how we vote on those and what our agreements are around those very areas and how we start moving those forward.

[Interviewer/Host]

Each state is feeling this a little bit differently by way of furloughed federal workers, Senator, in your case in Nevada, among the many furloughed are nuclear staffers, inspectors who are watching the nuclear stockpile in your state. They have in many cases been furloughed as well by way of the Energy Secretary. I'm curious your reaction to sending those workers home and if this is a national security problem.

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

So this most people don't know. The National Nuclear Security Agency has a number of sites across the country. One of them is the Nevada site security site, where we actually have federal workers and contract workers overseeing our nuclear stockpile and ensuring its national security, testing the stock stockpile, ensuring its safety. And amongst other things, those are essential workers. They should not be furloughed, they should not be fired, and they should continue to get paid. It's essential for our national security and for so Many other reasons. Again, what I saw happen just recently with this Energy secretary is more of this. Politics is trying to put pressure and play political games. And at the end of the day, the only people that are suffering are these federal workers and Americans. They're constantly pawns. Federal workers and federal contracts are constantly pawns and at the whims of political agendas. And it's just outrageous to me. I did. That's the reason why I don't support shutdowns. We can still do our jobs and get things done without using a federal worker as a pawn. This is a very example of what the impact is in Nevada. And it's not just my contractors and federal workers at that test site out at the nuclear site. It is federal workers throughout my state. It is a tourism industry that's having an impact of the bad policies from this administration. So we're seeing a downturn in tourism across the country, including in Nevada. I'm now hearing, because I follow what's happening in my state. Housing is not moving as quickly as it could because there's no federal workers to do the permitting that we need. That's crazy to me. My small businesses and businesses who rely on SBA loans are not getting those loans because there's no federal workers at the SBA to do those loans. I mean, it's just. This is part of the problem, why we should never have a government shutdown. We should be doing our jobs, jobs, appropriating, making sure we're moving forward, coming together to work together. And that is my frustration. That's some of the frustration I hear from colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, that are not in leadership. And that's why many of us have been talking and negotiating, trying to figure out a way out of this impasse.

[Interviewer/Host]

Senator, just a short time ago, I do want to get to some quick foreign policy before we leave you. A short time ago, Scott Bessant, Treasury Secretary, said to reporters at outside of the White House, quote, we are either going to announce after the close this afternoon or first thing tomorrow morning, a substantial pickup in Russian sanctions. Just want to get your reaction to that.

[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

Yeah, so I sit on the Banking Committee. I support sanctions against Russia and have in the past and will continue to do so. I think we need to put as much pressure as we can on Russia. I support Ukraine. What is going on is outrageous. This illegal war of Putin, and we have to continue using the levers that we have here. Some of those are sanctions, and in my case in the Banking Committee, those are financial sanctions that we have to continue to impose. And I hope we do use all the levers we can to hold Russia and Putin accountable.

[Interviewer/Host]

Our thanks to Senator Cortez Masto for joining us today.

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[Senator Catherine Cortez Masto]

For certain.