Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) urged his Democratic colleagues on Thursday to end the government shutdown by supporting a GOP-led spending package.
Senate Democrats largely opposed the short-term funding bill earlier this week, vowing to vote against any bill that does not include an extension to health insurance subsidies that are expiring by the end of the year. Thune accused Democrats of “holding government funding hostage” on Thursday as he pleaded with them to join with Republicans to reopen the government.
“We are into the second day of a government shutdown after Democrats once again rejected a clean, nonpartisan funding bill to keep the government open while we continue bipartisan appropriation work,” Thune said on the Senate floor.
“And we’re going to give my Democrat colleagues another opportunity to reopen the government by passing the clean, nonpartisan funding extension before us,” Thune added. “I realize that my Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far left base, but they’re playing a losing game here. A robust majority of American voters are against a government shutdown.”
Thune said Republicans are asking Democrats “to do nothing more than pass a clean, nonpartisan bill to fund the government for a few more weeks so that we can get back to bipartisan appropriations work.”
“Bipartisan appropriations work. The kind of bipartisan work that has seen the Senate pass three appropriations bills so far by robust bipartisan margins. The kind of work that we want to continue once Democrats have stopped holding government funding hostage to a long list of partisan demands,” Thune said, noting that three Senate Democrats have joined Republicans to vote for a continuing resolution (CR).
“If we can just find a few more Democrats to join us, we can end this shutdown and get back to bipartisan appropriations work in the business of the American people. Democrats voted for clean CRs like the one before us 13 times, 13 times during the Biden administration. I hope you’ll join us to pass this clean CR and reopen the government for hard working Americans,” he added.
The federal government shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to approve a spending package to fund the government past the Sept. 30 deadline. Senate Democrats largely voted against the GOP bill, vowing to oppose it until the bill includes an extension for Obamacare subsidies that are expiring next year.
Despite Republicans holding the majorities in the House and Senate, President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the shutdown. He suggested in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he will be implementing mass layoffs of government employees.
“I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote.
It’s not clear how long the shutdown could last as both sides continue to dig in. Republicans have refused to negotiate with Democrats over the spending bill, and Democrats appear ready to oppose the bill until they secure an extension for healthcare subsidies.