Emanuel Cleaver U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 5th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Emanuel Cleaver U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 5th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a member of the U.S. Congress representing Missouri’s 5th district since 2005, criticized House Republicans in a series of tweets on October 21, 2025, regarding the ongoing government shutdown and their recent actions in Congress.
On October 21, Cleaver posted, "The government has been shut down for 3 weeks—and House Republicans have been on vacation for over a month. Now, they’ve canceled votes and extended their vacation another week. Completely irresponsible and out of touch."
Later the same day, he added, "It Day 21 of the Republican shutdown. Instead of working with Democrats to ensure American families don’t see their health care costs double or triple, Republicans are on vacation. I’ll keep fighting to #ProtectOurCare".
Cleaver also highlighted his advocacy for early childhood education programs in Missouri, stating, "More information on my call to renew Head Start funding for Western Missouri here:".
Cleaver has represented Missouri’s 5th District since replacing Karen McCarthy in 2005. He was born in Waxahachie, Texas, in 1944 and currently resides in Kansas City. Cleaver graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972.
The ongoing government shutdown referenced by Cleaver began three weeks prior to his posts. Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness for young children from low-income families, and funding lapses during government shutdowns can impact its operations.
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