On the heels of a failed vote to fund the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune laid the blame at the feet of Democrats and said he would continue to press them to vote for a temporary funding bill.
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"The Democratic Caucus here in the Senate has chosen to shut down the government over a clean, nonpartisan funding bill," Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said.
WATCH: Government barreling toward shutdown with Congress in partisan deadlock
Republican leaders say they were encouraged that three members of the Democratic Caucus voted for their bill.
"We can reopen it tomorrow," Thune said, adding that he was looking for a handful of Democrats to break party lines.