House Democrats are criticizing the Republican members of their chamber, accusing them of being “on vacation” while the government shutdown is now in its eighth day.
“House Democrats were here last week. House Democrats are here this week. House Democrats will be here next week,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a news conference on Capitol Hill today. “House Republicans are on vacation right now, that’s extraordinary.”
Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House out of session since passing its government funding bill last month.
Following a planned recess week around the Jewish holidays last month, GOP leadership informed members that the House will not convene for the subsequent two weeks, signaling it’s up to the Senate to send the government funding package passed by the House to President Donald Trump’s desk.
“These extremists don’t even want to show up to work when they’re requiring hardworking federal employees show up to work without pay because of the Republican shutdown,” Jeffries said of House Republicans.
The minority leader reiterated that “the caucus, on good faith, will evaluate anything presented from the Senate,” but it “has to be meaningful in terms of making a difference in the lives of the American people.”
Similarly, Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern slammed Republicans for trying to impose tighter work requirements for some programs, such as food stamps, pointing out the moment’s irony.
“Let’s have a work requirement for Republicans to show up to Congress and do your goddamn job,” he said.
