Director of the White House National Economic Council Kevin Hassett announced on Sunday that federal workers would start being laid off in case President Donald Trump concludes that congressional talks to terminate the government shutdown “are absolutely going nowhere.”
Hassett reported CNN that “I think that everybody’s still hopeful that when we get a fresh start at the beginning of the week, that we can get the Democrats to see that it’s just common sense to avoid layoffs like that, State of the Union.”
His remarks follow as the government shutdown goes into its fifth day, with no clear escape path in view.
Democrats stand their ground on their demands for health care, pushing for a permanent extension of the enhanced premium tax credits in any government funding legislation.
However, Republicans believe that these discussions are supposed to occur in December, not to be involved in the negotiations on the government shutdown, which heightens the standoff.
The shutdown is now entering a new week with a continued standoff over the demands by the democrats.
The Senate once again failed to pass two funding bills on Friday, which would have lifted the shutdown.
The Republican plan would have been able to fund the government up until the end of November, whereas the democratic version included extra funds for health care.
The resolutions had already been unsuccessful numerous times in the upper chamber last week.
Mass layoffs during a government shutdown have been threatened by the Trump administration many times, but last week, it indicated that they would be “imminent.”
Trump also alleged that the shutdown also provided him with an “unprecedented opportunity” to reduce the scope of federal agencies and lay off government employees, but the administration has not acted on that threat.
Hassett stated that Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought on Sunday that, “lining things up and getting ready to act if they have to, but hoping that they don’t.”
Nevertheless, Hassett was confident that the impasse could be addressed during negotiations this week.
Hassett said on CNN that “We think the Democrats, there’s a chance that they’ll be reasonable once they get back into town on Monday.”
He further adds, “And if they are, then I think there’s no reason for those layoffs.”
