During a Sunday morning TV interview, U.S. Senator Katie Britt said reopening the federal government is her “number one” priority and accused Democrats of “playing politics” while Alabama families miss paychecks.

Appearing Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” from Tuscaloosa, Britt (R-Montgomery) argued that debates over the Affordable Care Act should happen only after Washington ends the shutdown, now in its twentieth day, and that the negative impacts on service members, veterans, federal civilian workers, and their families will continue be felt.

“First of all… We need to reopen the government. Democrats need to come to the table and do the right thing,” Britt said. “Getting the government open is number one. So, we need to vote on this CR and open the government back up.”

Britt said Senate Republicans have floated alternatives to shield workers if Democrats refuse to cut a deal.

“We’ve also given alternatives like end government shutdown and shutdown fairness act, making sure that the people who are working are actually getting paychecks… [T]hese have real consequences for American people.”

Pressed about expiring ACA tax credits and premium hikes, Britt said Republicans are willing to negotiate once the government is running, insisting Democrats “can walk and chew gum” by reopening first, then debating major policy lifts.

“We have always said we will have a conversation about this. We believe that you can walk and chew gum at the same time… They need to come to the table, open the government back up, and then we’re happy to have a conversation about the broken system that they created and help them get out of their own mess.”

Britt blasted Obamacare’s cost structure as “not sustainable,” arguing Democrats are asking taxpayers to underwrite subsidies for higher-income households while federal employees go without pay during the shutdown.

“The underlying structure of this program is not sustainable and is not working for the American people. No one is paying less now that Obamacare is in place,” she said, adding that insurers attribute only a small share of projected 2026 premium increases to the credits debate. “It’s absolutely, totally ridiculous to sit here and say we’re afraid people cannot afford their health care, but at the same time we’re going to deny them their paycheck.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.