Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused the Democratic Party of being taken over by far-left "Marxists" on Day 16 of the federal government shutdown.
The leader of the House of Representatives was visibly frustrated while speaking to reporters on Thursday, accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrat leaders of prolonging the fiscal standoff for political gain.
"This is not your grandfather's Democratic Party. It truly has become the far-left, Marxist-left, that are running that whole operation. And it has real effects on real people," Johnson said.
Senate Democrats have now rejected Republicans' federal funding plan 10 times.
Republicans put forward last month a seven-week extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding levels, called a continuing resolution (CR), aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a long-term deal for FY2026.
But Democrats in the House and Senate were infuriated by being sidelined in those talks. Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said their caucuses would not accept any deal that does not include serious healthcare concessions, at least extending COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.
