GOP Sen. Details Blue State Fallout From Schumer Shutdown: ‘Their Dreams Are Collateral Damage’

Republicans are zeroing in on the fallout Democrats’ government shutdown is inflicting on their own states as the funding lapse reaches the eight-day mark with no end in sight.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso accused Senate Democrats of selling out their constituents to score political points with the party’s left-wing base on the Senate floor on Wednesday. Despite a prolonged shutdown jeopardizing access to food aid programs and forcing troops to temporarily report for duty without pay, Democrats appear to be gearing up for a drawn-out fight.

“Democrats are holding the American people hostage to extract far-left concessions,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor. “They’re telling our service members their paychecks are negotiable. They’re telling small businesses their dreams are collateral damage in a partisan fight. They’re telling mothers with young children their WIC benefits are leverage for far-left demands.”

“Republicans remain committed to ensuring families receive the support they deserve,” Barrasso added. “Regrettably, Democrats have chosen repeatedly to keep the government closed for political purposes.”

Senate Democrats have voted down multiple attempts to pass a clean funding measure that would restore government operations until Republicans agree to add on more than $1.5 trillion in spending demands. Just two Democratic lawmakers and an independent senator who caucus with Democrats have crossed party lines to reopen the government, leaving the spending measure short of the 60-vote threshold to clear the upper chamber.

Republicans have balked at Democrats’ policy demands and have refused to negotiate on unrelated policy until Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer supplies the votes to reopen the government.

GOP lawmakers argue that a prolonged shutdown will only create more fallout for Americans nationwide, including those in Democratic-led states, the longer the funding lapse continues.