WASHINGTON
The US federal government shutdown stretched into its seventh day Tuesday, with no resolution in sight, after Senate Democrats again blocked a Republican-led proposal to extend government funding through Nov. 21.
"So, that was their fifth vote to shut the government down on the American people. It is regrettable and sad, and real pain is being felt by real people because of these political shenanigans," House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a news conference.
His remarks came a day after the Senate rejected a House-passed Republican stopgap funding bill by a vote of 52-42, failing to pass a 60-vote threshold.
The Republicans are trying to fund the government, Johnson said, adding, "and you need Republicans and Democrats to work together to get that done."
Johnson said he wants furloughed workers to receive back pay.
"I hope that the furloughed workers receive back pay. Of course, we have some extraordinary Americans who serve the federal government. They serve valiantly, and they work hard, and they serve in these various agencies, doing really important work," he added.
While a shutdown does not automatically result in a full-blown economic crisis, it creates major disruptions for many aspects of American life.
Many federal employees deemed essential are furloughed, or forced to work without pay, while others have been placed on mandatory leave until a new budget is approved. Trump has added the threat of layoffs during the shutdown.
'Democrats 'really concerned' about Trump-Republican shutdown
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday that the government remains shut down because of the "refusal and unwillingness" by President Donald Trump and Republicans to provide health care to working class Americans.
"That's an unacceptable position, and that's why Democrats continue to fight this fight on behalf of the American people," Jeffries said at a news conference.
Democrats are "really concerned" about the Trump-Republican shutdown, Jeffries said, adding it is "part of a pattern of continuing to devastate the American economy."
"Let's address it on behalf of the American people. Let's reopen the government. Let's end the Trump shutdown. Let's actually enact a spending agreement that makes life better for the American people," he said.
Turning to federal employees, Jeffries said every single furloughed federal employee is entitled to back pay.
"Period full stop. The law is clear, and we will make sure that the law is followed," he stressed.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Republicans should understand they cannot go forward "unless we come to a bipartisan agreement to advance health care crisis facing America."
The Trump administration and Republicans are "not serious enough" when it comes to people's health care and when it comes to ending their shutdown, Schumer said.
Schumer said that he and Jeffries will "happily" welcome a chance to talk with Trump and with Republicans to sit down and "seriously" negotiate with them, “so we can address the health care crisis facing Americans."
He urged Trump and the Republicans to come to the table and engage in negotiations to address the issue.
"Democrats stand ready and willing to negotiate," he added.
Democrats put people in 'great risk and jeopardy'
Trump called the shutdown a "kamikaze attack," claiming Democrats had given his administration a chance to slash "billions and billions" in "waste, fraud, and abuse."
"Because of the shutdown, which I think they made a big mistake, we're able to take out billions and billions of dollars of waste, fraud and abuse, and they've handed it, you know, to order silver platter," he told the reporters in the Oval Office.
On potential federal layoffs due to the shutdown, Trump said he will be able to tell in four or five days if it keeps going on.
"If this keeps going on, it'll be substantial -- and a lot of those jobs will never come back," he added.
When asked if it is the White House's position that furloughed workers should be paid back-pay, Trump said, "It depends on who we're talking about."
Trump argued that Democrats have put a lot of people in "great risk and jeopardy."
"It really depends on who you're talking about, but for the most part, we're going to take care of our people. There are some people that really don't deserve to be taken care of and we'll take care of them in a different way," he added.
Trump also claimed that Democrats have "no leader."
"I just don't know if Schumer has any power anymore," he said.
Democrats 'are being bludgeoned' by their political left
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the White House estimates that it is costing the US economy $15 billion a week to continue to have the government shut down.
"But it's not just our economy, it's American families, the American people who are paying the price," Thune told reporters on Capitol Hill.
The consequences of the shutdown for the American people are "very real, and this just has to stop," he said.
"It could stop today. We have the bill in front of us. It's in the Senate. House has passed it and supported it. President is ready to sign it into law. Could do it today. All we have to do is pick it up off the desk," Thune said, adding that a "handful" of Democrats are needed to vote with Republicans.
He argued that there are a lot of Democrats who "are being bludgeoned" by their political left.
"This is all about politics, but I think they're under enormous pressure from their political left. I think they're under enormous pressure from their leadership, but they're going to have to be some brave souls who are courageous enough to come out and deliver the votes to open up the government," Thune added.
