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at NEI Academy.org. We're going to get two perspectives on all of this now. First from House Democratic

Leader Hakeem Jeffries. I spoke with him earlier today. Leader Jeffries, welcome back to the News Hour.

Good evening. Great to be with you. Understanding this remains a fluid situation, as we speak a little after 4 p.m. Eastern, have

there been any substantive conversations between Democrats and congressional Republican leadership

or the White House since this shutdown started overnight?

Unfortunately, Donald Trump and Republicans have decided to shut the government down so they

can continue to gut the health care of the American people.

And subsequent to that shutdown, there's been no communication from either the White House

or from Republican leaders in the House and the Senate.

Leader Schumer and I continue to make clear that we will sit down with anyone at any time

and at any place to discuss reopening the government, making sure we enact a spending agreement

that meets the needs of the American people, and of course, addressing the Republican

health care crisis.

The Vice President J.D. Vance said today that the White House is willing to have

a conversation about health care so long as the government is funded first. What do you make of that?

And how do you respond to the charge that Democrats are the ones making the demands here? So it's

Democrats who are forcing the shutdown. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the presidency. They've spent all

year lecturing the American people that they are dominant and have complete control of government.

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