Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Monday called on their Republican counterparts to meet immediately to avert a government shutdown looming as soon as the end of next month.

The Democratic congressional leaders, both of whom are from New York, called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, to sit down this week to discuss a plan to pass next year’s budget, which would normally require negotiation with the minority party to secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate to avoid a filibuster.

“We have the responsibility to govern for all Americans and work on a bipartisan basis to avert a painful, unnecessary shutdown at the end of September,” Schumer and Jeffries wrote.

The Democratic leaders noted they are willing to work with Re

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