Republicans erupt over shutdown chaos, accuse Dems of holding government ‘hostage’

Republicans and Democrats are trading barbs on Wednesday morning as the federal government settles into the first day of a shutdown.

“Democrats made this choice, Democrats forced this crisis, and Democrats alone will answer to hardworking Americans now paying the price for their reckless agenda,” Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday night.

The government entered a shutdown just after midnight Wednesday after the Senate failed to advance a short-term federal funding bill called a continuing resolution (CR) hours earlier. The measure did not reach the necessary 60 votes to overcome a Senate filibuster — falling 55-45 — with just three Democrats joining the GOP on Tuesday night.

Certain federal services will temporarily cease to function, and some government workers — including the military and air traffic controllers at airports — must continue to clock in under deferred pay.

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Veteran services and military operations will continue to be funded, and Social Security checks will continue to be sent out to Americans, among other essential services.

But some federal workers could lose their jobs altogether, as indicated by a memo sent to federal agencies earlier this month by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought.

Republicans are now blaming Democrats for plunging the government into a shutdown, while Democrats are accusing Republicans of refusing to negotiate on what’s traditionally a bipartisan exercise.

“Virginia is home to tens of thousands of federal workers, contractors and service members who keep our country running. Tonight, they are once again being forced to wonder when they will get their next paycheck — not because they failed to do their jobs, but because lawmakers in Congress failed to do theirs,” Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., whose district includes the D.C. suburbs, said in a Tuesday night statement. 

“Trump and his rubber-stamp Republicans have chosen to hurt Virginia families instead of working across the aisle. It’s past time they come to the table so we can find real solutions, reopen the government, and deliver for the people we serve.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, whose coal country district includes Youngstown, told Fox News Digital, “The current government shutdown is the culmination of months of the same tired and disruptive tactics used by the left against the American people.”

“In November 2024, President Trump and the Republicans received an overwhelming mandate to govern. Yet, every time we try to implement the changes demanded by voters, we face fierce resistance — even on straightforward measures like a clean CR, which Congress approved 13 times before,” Rulli said.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., wrote on X, “FACT: Schumer led a shutdown to hold the government hostage for a $1.5 trillion liberal payout.”

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His message came in reference to Democrats’ own CR proposal calling for a repeal of healthcare spending cuts made in the GOP’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Their plan would have also restored funding to NPR and PBS that was cut by the Trump administration earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Democrats have also demanded any CR include Obamacare subsidies, enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic but due to expire this year, in exchange for their votes.

“Thousands of hard-working federal employees in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District woke up this morning to learn whether they were furloughed or required to work without pay,” Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., wrote on X. “This shutdown was entirely avoidable. Democrats in Washington remain ready, willing and able to negotiate a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open and lower healthcare costs for Americans everywhere.”

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., similarly said in a statement, “Democrats have been clear for months: we will not support a budget that inflicts a healthcare crisis on the American people in order to fund Trump’s continued destruction of our democracy and out-of-control mass deportations.”

First-term Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, countered that “Democrats created this crisis.”

“Democrats in the Senate just voted to shut the government down. This will impact food assistance programs, veterans’ care, troops’ pay, TSA agents’ and air traffic controllers’ pay, and so much more. Their reason? They want to restore taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens and prop up liberal news outlets with your $$,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have also heaped blame on one another’s parties, with both expected to make their cases to Americans on Wednesday.

The Senate is also expected to vote on the CR again on Wednesday.