House Speaker Johnson & Senate Leader Thune on Government Shutdown

Government Shutdown Amidst Partisan Disagreement

• ⚠️ The US government has entered a shutdown at midnight due to Democrats' actions, impacting hundreds of thousands of federal workers and vital services.
• 🎯 The shutdown is described as entirely avoidable, with Republicans asserting that Democrats prioritized taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants over keeping the government operational.

Democratic Demands and Republican Stance

• 💰 Democrats reportedly demanded an additional $1.5 trillion in federal spending, funded by taxpayers, in exchange for a bipartisan continuing resolution.
• 🚫 Republicans state they will not agree to these demands, emphasizing their commitment to responsible fiscal management.

House and Senate Actions

• 🏠 The House passed a commonsense, bipartisan bill to keep the government open, with only one Democrat joining the Republican effort.
• ⚖️ The Senate also saw Democratic opposition, with 44 Democrats voting to shut down the government.

Call for Bipartisanship and Time Extension

• ⏳ A clean, bipartisan continuing resolution was proposed to grant Congress an additional seven weeks to finalize appropriations bills and restore regular order.
• 🤝 This approach mirrors previous bipartisan votes by Democrats on similar resolutions during the Biden administration.

Blame and Path Forward

• 🗣️ Speaker Johnson and Senator Thune place the responsibility for the shutdown squarely on Democrats, accusing them of playing political games.
• 🙏 They encourage Democratic colleagues to pass the clean bill, urging them to come to their senses and act responsibly to end the shutdown.