With a government shutdown just days away, House Democrats gathered in a conspicuously empty chamber on Monday, using the stark visual to intensify criticism of Republicans and underscore their perceived inaction in averting a fiscal crisis.
WASHINGTON D.C. – As the specter of a government shutdown loomed large, Democratic lawmakers convened on Monday in a conspicuously empty House chamber, using the stark visual to intensify their criticism of Republicans and underscore what they called a lack of engagement in averting a fiscal crisis.
With just days remaining before federal funding expires on September 30, a procession of House Democrats, led by party leadership, stood before vacant Republican benches, accusing their counterparts of abandoning their duties while crucial negotiations stalled.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) addressed a gathering of reporters and a small audience of staff, emphasizing the readiness of Democrats to negotiate a path forward.
“We are here, ready to work, ready to find common ground to keep our government open and serving the American people,” Jeffries stated, gesturing to the silent chamber. “But where are our Republican colleagues? The seats across the aisle are empty, just as their legislative agenda to avoid a shutdown appears to be.”
The Democratic maneuver was a deliberate act of political theater, designed to highlight the perceived absence of urgency from House Republicans, many of whom had departed Washington for the week or were engaged in fundraising activities. Democrats argued that this absence demonstrated a willingness to tolerate a shutdown, despite the potential disruptions to federal services and the broader economy.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, echoed the sentiment, detailing the potential impacts of a shutdown.
“A shutdown is not a game; it is a catastrophe for working families, for our military personnel, for scientific research, and for public health,” DeLauro warned. “While Democrats have put forward multiple solutions, Republicans are nowhere to be found when it matters most.”
Republicans, who control the House, have been grappling with internal divisions over spending levels and policy riders, making it difficult to coalesce around a consensus funding bill. Many conservative members have demanded deeper cuts than proposed by Democratic leadership or the Senate, leading to a legislative stalemate. While some Republican members dismissed the Democratic display as partisan grandstanding, no senior Republican leader was present in the Capitol to offer an immediate counter-response to the Democratic press conference.
The looming September 30 deadline marks the end of the fiscal year, and without new appropriations bills or a continuing resolution, non-essential government services will cease, and federal employees will be furloughed. The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Congress to pass a clean funding bill, warning of severe consequences should a shutdown occur.
As the clock ticks down, the Democratic party’s public shaming tactic aims to exert pressure on Republicans to return to the negotiating table and find a resolution before the country faces its next government shutdown.
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