(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says her party is willing to talk about health care with Democrats if the government shut down ends. Hinson says the Senate Majority Leader says he is open to discussion. “Basically, he has said he’s willing to sit down with folks on the other side of the aisle to talk about the unaffordability of Obamacare, and he’s willing to give him a vote on it. But we have to end the government shutdown. And so he made that offer,” she says. But Hinson says Democrats really want to add more spending to the budget, including health care for illegals.

Cong. Ashley Hinson (File photo from Iowa PBS)

“If they wanted to really work together with us to lower the cost of healthcare, they would have kept the government open so we could actually work on it,” Hinson says. Hinson says they have to face the facts on the current health care system. “Obamacare is unaffordable, and that needs to be the root of the conversation, is how do we lower healthcare costs for everyone. I am for protecting access to healthcare,” Hinson says, “I wanna make sure we are trying to keep those premiums down and we need to keep the government funded and open. And Democrats are playing these political games and again risking all three of those things.”

Hinson made her comments on her weekly conference call with reporters.