I suspect some more senators will come trickling in now. Let me start off by just making a few brief points about where we are today and how we got to where we are. This government shutdown is taking place for one simple reason. For the first time in the modern history of our country, the majority party in the Senate, the Republican party, which needs 60 votes to pass a budget bill to fund the government, is refusing to negotiate. Republicans have 53 votes in the Senate Democratic caucus has 47. You need 60 votes to pass a budget bill. You have to negotiate. (00:51–01:13)
CLAIM
Asserts that the Republican party is refusing to negotiate to pass a budget bill.
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