US House speaker urges 5 Democrats to break ranks to end government shutdown
'We need five of them to wake up and come their senses and do the right thing to the American people,' says Mike Johnson
WASHINGTON
US House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats on Thursday of playing political games at the expense of Americans’ livelihoods, and challenged them to cross party lines to end the impasse.
"Good morning, and welcome to day nine of the Democrat shutdown," Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill as the federal government remained shuttered for a ninth day.
"Democrats playing games with the lives and livelihoods of the people," he added.
His remarks came one day after the Senate failed to advance funding bills to end the shutdown for the sixth time.
"We're in day nine. The consequences of this Democrat shutdown are very real," he said, adding that it "doesn't get better" for the country.
"Right now, half our civilian federal employees are on furlough," he said.
He insisted that the House of Representatives has done its part, sending a “clean” continuing resolution, or government funding, to the Senate, and said the responsibility now lies with Senate Democrats.
"We've done our job, and the Democrats need to do theirs now. That ball has been sent to the other court. That is the place where it lands right now. Six times, I remind you, they voted to shut it down. We need five Democrats to break ranks. We need five of them to wake up and come their senses and do the right thing to the American people. How long are they going to allow this pain to be sustained?" he said.
He argued that the mathematics favor bipartisan cooperation, noting five Senate Democrats are needed.
"Remember, it's math. We have to have 60 votes in the Senate to do this. Every Republican in the building is voting to open the government. The president wants to open the government. We need a few more Democrats, because we only have 53 Republicans in the Senate. We got to have a handful of Democrats to join and do the right thing. And I hope they will," Johnson said.
Following six unsuccessful efforts, the Senate is set to vote again Thursday on legislation to end the shutdown, as both parties continue to accuse each other of obstructing progress on reopening the government.
