House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker he’s hopeful the government shutdown will end by Thanksgiving — but offered no clear promise toward that end. “We need to resolve this immediately,” Jeffries insisted.
The topic was broached by Welker, who asked, “Leader Jeffries, the people who are suffering right now, and who are quite frankly concerned about how they are going to put food on the table over this holiday season. How long can they expect this shutdown to continue? Can you guarantee that you will reopen the government before Thanksgiving?”
Jeffries attempted to offer two paths toward resolving the shutdown before Welker asked, “Do you think it’ll happen before Thanksgiving?”
“I hope so. Donald Trump needs to get off the golf course and get back to the negotiating table,” Jeffries insisted. “He spent more time golfing over the last several weeks than he has talking to Democrats who represent half the country as part of an effort to find a bipartisan path forward.”
He continued, “And by the way, we also know that House Republicans have literally canceled votes for the last six weeks. They’ve been on vacation, and they have no plans to return next week. We’ll be in Washington as House Democrats ready, willing and able to reopen the government to make life better for the American people, and to address the health care crisis that has been devastating the country.”
Democrats and Republicans remain locked in a standoff that has become the longest government shutdown in United States history. Approximately 1.4 million federal employees are working without pay or on unpaid leave, and the shutdown is causing air travel problems and raising concerns that SNAP benefits will not be distributed in November.
The shutdown began Oct. 1 after both parties failed to reach an agreement to pass the appropriate funding. Though Republicans control both chambers of Congress, they lack the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass their version of the bill. Democrats have refused to agree to the bill unless it extends health credits that make health insurance more affordable for Americans. The House cleared the bill, but things have stalled completely in the Senate.
Trump’s first administration was marked by a 35-day government shutdown, which was the longest to date until this year.
Watch the interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in the video above.
