US House speaker blames Democrats for prolonged government shutdown on day 8

​​​​​​​By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday doubled down on his criticism of Senate Democrats as the US federal government shutdown entered its eighth day.

"Welcome everyone to day eight of the Democrat shutdown," Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Johnson described a funding impasse as “simple,” despite what he called media efforts to portray it as complex. He claimed the Senate, not the House of Representatives, is responsible for prolonging the shutdown.

"It seems complicated what's happening in Washington right now. It actually is very simple. Don't let the Democrats distract you and try to convince you of things that are not true," he said.

According to Johnson, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s refusal to advance a House-passed continuing resolution is rooted in political self-preservation.

"This shutdown is nothing more than political cover for Chuck Schumer and the Democrats," Johnson said, claiming that Schumer is "terrified that he's going to get a challenge from his far left."

Johnson argued the lower chamber had already done its job by passing a "clean" 24-page continuing resolution to extend government funding and blamed Schumer for refusing to bring the measure to a vote in the Senate.

"The ball is now in the Senate's court. It does us no good to be here dithering on show votes. We did it. We sent the product over. ... It's the most bare minimum that's necessary to keep the lights on for the people, and Chuck Schumer and 43 of his colleagues, Democrats, continue to do the wrong thing," he added.

For the sixth time, the upper chamber is expected to take up competing funding proposals later Wednesday, after both measures failed to clear a 60-vote threshold for the fifth time during Monday’s session.