Congressional Democrats are actively opposing Republican-led initiatives aimed at alleviating the financial strain on federal employees and service members during the protracted government shutdown, now in its 20th day.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has notably come out against standalone legislation intended to pay troops and federal workers reporting to duty during the funding lapse, calling the effort a “political ploy.”
Jeffries said Monday that he opposed the piecemeal funding measures.
“It appears to be more like a political ploy giving Donald Trump discretion over which employees should be compensated and which employees should not be compensated,” Jeffries said during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol. He insisted that all employees should be compensated, and that will only happen when the government is reopened.
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The Democratic opposition comes as millions of federal employees face mounting financial stress, with many slated to miss their first full paycheck this Friday due to the funding lapse. While President Donald Trump previously tapped unused Pentagon funds to avert an initial pay lapse for U.S. service members, they remain at risk of missing their next salary payment.
Standoff Over Healthcare Demands
The core of the Democratic resistance lies in their demand that Republicans attach unrelated healthcare provisions, amounting to more than $1 trillion, to any government funding measure in exchange for their support.
Jeffries invoked healthcare when arguing why he could not support the legislation to pay military personnel and some federal workers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has deemed the Democrats’ demands a “nonstarter,” though he has offered a separate vote on extending COVID-era Obamacare subsidies after the government is reopened.
Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, have rejected this overture. The Minority Leader previously led nearly all House Democrats in voting against a clean funding measure to avert the shutdown in September and has since encouraged his Senate colleagues to maintain the shutdown until their demands are met.
READ: John Thune: Dems Will Have Explaining To Do For ‘Consistently Voting To Shut Down The Government’
Speaker Johnson Slams Democratic Stance
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday criticized Democrats for their unwavering opposition to efforts to fund the government, especially as the current funding lapse holds the title as the longest full shutdown in U.S. history.
“It is the most costly, most selfish, most dangerous political stunt in the history of the United States Congress,” Johnson said.
He indicated that he would call the House back into session to consider the funding measure should it pass the Senate. Republicans would need seven Democrats to cross party lines to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.
The shutdown has persisted into its fourth week, deepening the divide between the parties with no clear path to resolution.
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