The federal government shutdown at midnight after a stalemate in Congress between the Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a resolve. The sparring political parties are locked in a bitter dispute over spending and enhanced Obamacare subsidies.
An eleventh-hour attempt to find common ground proved fruitless as almost all Senate Democrats voted to reject a House-passed Republican bill that would have extended funding until Nov. 21. The bill did not meet the Democrats’ core demand that Affordable Care Act subsidies, set to expire at the end of the year, should be extended.
This is the first closure of the government in almost seven years. The last occurred during President Donald Trump’s first term in late 2018, spurred by disagreements on federal funding for his wall along the Mexico-U.S. border.
Now, with several agencies facing shuttering, hundreds of thousands of federal workers have to deal with the prospect of being furloughed as the Office of Management and Budget has instructed affected agencies to “execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.”
Concerns are growing over the suspension of agencies that focus on climate and science as hurricane season approaches, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that responds to natural disaster events.
Prior to the funding deadline passing, Trump threatened mass layoffs in the wake of a shutdown.
“The Democrats want to shut it down, so when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday. “We’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected, and they’re Democrats. They’re gonna be Democrats.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, has steadfastly maintained that Trump could have easily avoided a shutdown.
“Ultimately, he’s the decision maker. And if he will accept some of the things we asked, which we think the American people are for on healthcare and on rescissions, he can avoid a shutdown,” Schumer said prior to the midnight deadline passing.
Republican and Democrat lawmakers are now, for the most part, locked in a blame game, as each side is holding the other responsible for the government shutdown that has transpired.
Here’s how some lawmakers across the political parties are reacting to the shutdown:
Republicans
Mike Johnson
After Democrats voted against a budget proposal on Tuesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson claimed: “What they’ve decided to do tonight, with their vote, is close the government. And what that means is real pain for real Americans.”
He went on to list the impact of a shutdown, citing “moms and kids now lose Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition. Veterans lose health care and suicide prevention programs. FEMA has shortfalls during hurricane season. Soldiers and TSA agents go unpaid.”
Much like his fellow Republicans, Johnson called out Schumer specifically.
“The only question now: how long will Chuck Schumer let this pain go on—for his own selfish reasons?”
Tom Cotton
“A ‘Schumer shutdown’ will be carried out at the expense and on the dime of the American people. Remember, it wasn’t happenstance that the American people threw radical Democrats out of the Oval Office and congressional leadership last fall,” said Sen. Tom Cotton in a speech at the Senate on Tuesday evening.
The Arkansas lawmaker called the shutdown “a last-ditch effort to save face after spending years pushing disastrous policies that led to rising costs and skyrocketing crime.”
Ted Cruz
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas blamed the Democrats ahead of the midnight shutdown.
“They’re doing it on the face of it because they want free healthcare for illegals,” he claimed. “They’re crazy left-wing base is so angry. A few months ago when Schumer and the Democrats agreed to keep the government open, Schumer almost lost his job.”
Read More: In Averting a Shutdown, Schumer Ignites a Rebellion
During an Oval Office press conference on Tuesday, Trump was asked to clarify the Republicans’ stance considering that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the health care plans subsidies that the Democrats are demanding.
Kristi Noem
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said just before midnight on Tuesday that her department’s law enforcement officers will continue to work through the “Democrat shutdown to make sure our homeland is safe and secure,” adding that 200,000 officers will go without pay.
“The Democrats will be forcing over 150,000 officers and nearly 50,000 members of the military—our frontline of defense—to continue protecting our nation without pay,” said Noem.
Democrats
Chuck Schumer
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted a video counting down to the shutdown deadline via social media.
“It’s midnight. The ‘Republican shutdown’ has just begun because Republicans wouldn’t protect America’s health care. We’re going to keep fighting for the American people,” he said in the footage filmed outside Capitol Hill.
Schumer also responded to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt who said “Democrats are prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens. They are America’s last radicals.”
“This is a lie. Not a single federal dollar goes to providing health insurance for undocumented immigrants. Not one penny,” Schumer replied. “Republicans would rather lie and shut down the government down than protect your health care.”
Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries released a critical statement towards the Trump Administration.
“Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal government because they do not want to protect the healthcare of the American People,” he said, adding that Democrats want to find a “bipartisan way forward” to end the shuttering.
Cory Booker
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said: “We just went into a shutdown because Republicans refuse to work with us to deal with the healthcare crisis that they created. Donald Trump and Republicans control the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House. They need to do their job and put forward a budget that will help Americans.”
Booker added that he has spoken to Americans across New Jersey who are struggling with healthcare and other rising costs.
“This should be a bipartisan commitment to do the things necessary to help folks who are struggling,” he urged.
Nancy Pelosi
California Representative and former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, blamed the ruling party ahead of the deadline passing.
“If Republicans force a shutdown, it’s on them. Democrats will keep fighting to protect your health care,” she said.
Andy Kim
Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey said that he would be refusing his pay during the shutdown.
“It’s wrong that the President and Members of Congress get paid during a government shutdown when our military and public servants don’t. I will be refusing my own pay… Government leaders shouldn’t be playing with other people’s chips,” said Kim, later adding that “it’s a small gesture, but one that is necessary as Americans pay for the consequences of our actions.”
Josh Gottheimer
Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey also surrendered his pay effective after the shutdown began, formally requesting the move in a letter shared online.
“If our service members and federal workers won’t get paid because of Trump and far-right extremists, Members of Congress shouldn’t either. I’ll keep fighting to lower health care costs and work across the aisle to keep the government open,” said Gottheimer.
Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts reacted as the deadline for a deal passed.
“It’s midnight, which means Trump’s government just ran out of money. Our entire government is shut down because Republicans in power refuse to lower health care costs,” she said.
The post Republican and Democratic Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown as Blame Game Ensues appeared first on TIME.
