Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow Republican congressional leaders blasted Democrats on Wednesday for opposing their short-term funding stopgap and triggering the pending federal shutdown.
Johnson on Wednesday echoed threats from President Donald Trump that a shutdown’s burdens would fall disproportionately on Democrats by slashing blue-state funding and potentially government “benefits.”
“The longer this goes on, the more pain will be inflicted,” Johnson said during a morning news conference at the Capitol.
House Republicans will hold a call with White House budget director Russ Vought this afternoon, where he is expected to discuss plans for mass firings and the funding cuts Trump has threatened. As the GOP leaders spoke Wednesday, Vought announced the White House was holding up two transportation megaprojects affecting New York City, home to top congressional Democrats Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune separately pressed Senate Democrats to back the stopgap when it goes to another vote later Wednesday morning.
Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing for Republicans to negotiate now on an extension of soon-to-expire health insurance subsidies that impact more than 20 million Americans.
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