Minnesota State Wire

Representative Ilhan Omar, who serves Minnesota’s 5th district in the U.S. Congress, used her social media platform on October 17, 2025, to address the ongoing federal government shutdown and its impact on healthcare access for Americans.

In a post published at 01:05 UTC, Omar stated, "Reopening the government and protecting healthcare for millions of Americans shouldn’t require a fight. It should be common sense."

Later that day, at 16:29 UTC, she directly addressed Republican lawmakers with another message: "Republicans, where you at? It’s day 17 of the government shutdown and STILL no Republicans to be found. Leave your vacations and REOPEN the government."

By evening, Omar reiterated her stance regarding responsibility for the shutdown and its effects on healthcare coverage: "Instead of working to fix the healthcare crisis they created, Republicans forced a federal government shutdown. But we're holding strong - we will not allow millions of Americans to lose access to the healthcare they need. Read my full column below."

Omar has represented Minnesota’s 5th District in Congress since 2019 after succeeding Keith Ellison. Before her election to Congress, she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1982, Omar is currently a resident of Minneapolis and holds a Bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University.