NRSC Blames Dems for Shutdown, Lists '13 Devastating Impacts'

The National Republican Senatorial Committee blasted Senate Democrats for their 13th vote to keep the federal government closed Tuesday, naming "13 devastating impacts" that Americans are currently feeling or will soon feel due to the upper chamber's minority party.

"Senate Democrats just voted for the thirteenth time to keep the government shut down, preventing our troops from getting their paychecks and families from receiving the assistance they need to put food on the table," NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez said in a release. "Americans are paying the price while Democrats demand free healthcare for illegal aliens."

The continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 21, which passed the House last month, failed in the Senate on Tuesday by a 54-45 vote. Although three Democrat senators broke ranks and voted with Republicans for the bill, it requires 60 votes to clear the chamber.

The government has been shuttered for nearly a month amid partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill, as Republicans have sought to pass a clean stopgap funding bill and Democrats have balked at passing any measure that did not address the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.

In a statement following the vote, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters called the refusal of Senate Democrats to reopen the government "disgraceful."

"President Trump and Republicans in Congress have fought repeatedly to pass a clean CR and deliver relief to the American families being hurt by this shutdown," Gruters said. "Democrats have now voted 13 times to shut down the government — holding American workers hostage because they want taxpayers to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants."

"Today marks the first day air traffic controllers stop receiving their full paycheck, and every day from here only gets harder for families struggling with gas, childcare, and everyday costs," he continued.

"Democrats would rather side with illegal immigrants than reopen the government for the citizens they were elected to serve."

According to the Senate Republican campaign committee, these are the 13 impacts of the Democrats' vote:

-- Military members will miss their paycheck Friday
-- 40 million Americans will not receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  benefits
-- Head Start funding will end for 800,000 children under the age of 6
-- 7 million low-income mothers and infants will not receive assistance from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children 
-- Funding for the Essential Air Service will expire
-- Air traffic controllers will not get paid
-- Civilian federal employees will miss their first full paycheck
-- Staffing shortages will continue at airports nationwide
-- Small businesses across the country will continue to struggle
-- Farmers and ranchers will be unable to access critical services
-- The U.S. economy is losing more than $15 billion per week that the shutdown continues
-- Funding for the National Flood Insurance Program will lapse
-- Medical research will be paused

Before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that Republicans need to begin talking about extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies to end the shutdown, noting that the open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplace begins Nov. 1.   

"Republicans do not even want to talk about fixing healthcare," he said. "Americans are on the brink of a healthcare crisis unlike we have seen in our lifetimes."

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., reiterated the commitment of GOP leaders to discuss the looming expiration of the health insurance subsidies once Democrats vote in favor of opening the government.

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