Graham says shutdown won't 'change how I approach health care'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the government shutdown will not change his opposition to extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Democrats have made their central demand in the ongoing funding standoff.

In an interview on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Graham criticized Democrats’ approach and said he wouldn’t support extending the subsidies unless there was first “great reform.” He also said he would not engage in those conversations until the governments reopens.

“The subsidies that we're talking about here, if the Affordable Care Act is so affordable, why every time I turn around are we spending $350 billion to keep it afloat?” Graham said in the interview. “Whether the government's shut down or not, I'm not going to vote to extend these subsidies without great reform.”

“I'm willing to vote to open the government up tomorrow,” he added. “To my Democratic friends, I am not going to vote to extend these subsidies. It costs $350 billion. If you make over $400,000 you get subsidies for your health care.”

“Let's have a rational discussion, but not with the government shut down,” he continued. “It's up to you. If you want to keep it shut down, fine. It's not going to change how I approach health care.”

The government is on its 12th day of a shutdown, as Democrats insist on negotiating over the enhanced ObamaCare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year, before agreeing to a GOP funding proposal to reopen the government.