WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Friday called on Democrats to join Republicans in passing a House-approved stopgap funding bill that he said would reopen the federal government immediately, as the shutdown entered its third day.

"We have an opportunity to pick up a House-passed bill that—if it passes the Senate—will be sent to the White House, the president will sign it, and the government will reopen. It's that simple and that straightforward," Thune told reporters.

"All we need is a handful more Democrats," he said, noting that 55 senators have already voted for the continuing resolution (CR), which he described as "clean, short-term, non-partisan."

Democrats, however, have vowed not to support any measure that does not extend health insurance subsidies, calling such provisions essential for any truly bipartisan deal.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the lower chamber’s actions, saying: "The House did send a bipartisan, very simple, very conventional, 24-page, continuous resolution to keep the lights on ... We passed it, and it's been rejected by the Senate.

So, the House will come back into session and do its work as soon as (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government. That's plain and simple."

Thune also addressed comments from President Donald Trump, who has called the shutdown an "unprecedented opportunity" to slash federal spending, reduce staff, and end programs long opposed by Republicans. Asked whether such rhetoric was helpful, Thune shifted blame back to Senate Democrats.

"When you're in a shutdown situation, you have to manage the government, and any administration is going to make decisions based on their priorities—figure out where to move money, from here to here, this agency, this department, these employees. That's the situation the Democrats have put the administration in," Thune said.

He added that such decisions would reflect the administration’s priorities, even if Democrats disagreed.

In past shutdowns, federal workers were furloughed but not fired, and programs were paused, not ended. Democrats argue that permanent cuts would likely be illegal.

They also highlighted Trump’s own past comments from 2011, when he said a shutdown would be "a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He's the one that has to get people together." — Agencies