NBC host Kristen Welker confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday during “Meet the Press” over Democratic senators withholding votes to reopen the federal government and played clips of Democrats speaking out against shutdowns after he blamed Republicans.
After Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer lead most Democrats to vote against the Republicans’ spending bill, the government shut down early Wednesday morning. Discussing who was to blame for the shutdown, Welker noted Republican senators need at least five more Democrats to pass the bill to reopen the government.
“But let me ask you, because you say this is a Republican shutdown, but it’s Democratic senators who are withholding their votes on what is called a clean resolution — that means no strings attached — which is something, quite frankly, Leader, that you and other Democrats have advocated for in the past,” Welker said.
Welker went on to play a montage of clips featuring Democrats such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Jeffries, who advocated for avoiding a government shutdown and passing a clean continuing resolution.
The NBC host then asked Jeffries why Democrats won’t just “fund the government and debate extending Obamacare tax credits after,” noting that the credits don’t expire until the end of 2025.
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“What we’ve called for is a bipartisan negotiation where Democrats and Republicans can sit down in good faith, reopen the government, pass a spending bill that actually improves the quality of life of the American people in an environment where the cost of living is already too high,” Jeffries responded. “Republicans promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they’re going up.”
“If these Affordable Care Act tax credits are allowed to expire, premiums and healthcare costs are going to skyrocket. America is already too expensive for the American people because of the Trump-failed policies, the Trump tariffs. This will make things worse,” Jeffries added. “So we just want a bipartisan negotiation that addresses the healthcare crisis at the same period of time with the fierce urgency of now.”
The House passed the GOP-led spending bill late Tuesday evening. With a government shutdown looming just hours away, the measure then went to the Senate. The bipartisan bill, however, failed to reach the necessary 60 votes —falling 55-45 — though three Democratic senators joining the GOP.
Since the shutdown started, Democrats blame Republicans for not negotiating on their concerns for Americans’ access to healthcare. In contrast, Republicans accused Democrats of not only trying to provide healthcare to illegal immigrants but said Schumer is being led by the progressives in his party, including Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In March 2025, lawmakers avoided a government shutdown after Schumer and nine other Senate Democrats joined Republicans in approving a GOP-led spending bill. The Senate minority leader quickly faced backlash from progressives in his party, including Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez publicly slammed Schumer’s decision to side with Republicans, calling it “a tremendous mistake.” Soon after, speculation grew she may be eyeing Schumer’s Senate seat in the 2028 election.
Despite questions about Schumer’s decision to push back against the GOP-led spending bill, Ocasio-Cortez denied having any influence over the Senate minority leader.
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