House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and other House Democrats take to the steps to speak out against the Republican budget plan on Feb. 25, 2025 in Washington.

WASHINGTON - The two top Democratic leaders in Congress are demanding a meeting with President Donald Trump a day after the Senate struck down a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown.

Democrats have been urging Republicans to reverse recent Medicaid funding cuts that were enacted as part of Trump's major tax and spending law and extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. They’ve refused to strike a funding deal unless those issues are addressed.

In a Sept. 20 letter to Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote that they are “ready to work toward a bipartisan spending agreement that improves the lives of American families and addresses the Republican healthcare crisis.”

“We do not understand why you prefer to shut down the government rather than protect the healthcare and quality of life of the American people,” they wrote, adding that it is the "obligation" of the president to meet with them directly and reach an agreement.

Trump on Sept. 19 suggested to reporters that there could be a government shutdown.

“We’ll continue to talk to the Democrats, but I think you could very well end up with a closed country for a period of time,” he said. “And we’ll take care of the military. We’ll take care of Social Security. We’ll take care of the things we have to take care of.”

“A lot of the things that Democrats fight for, which in many cases aren’t very good things, will not be able to be paid,” he added.

The House narrowly passed a funding bill largely on party lines by a vote of 217-212 on Sept. 19. However, senators voted against the GOP-backed bill by a vote of 48-44 that same day.

Meanwhile, House lawmakers are scheduled to have a one-week recess. If lawmakers don't cancel their recess and return next week, they'll be back on Sept. 29, giving them just two days to avert a shutdown. Funding expires at midnight Sept. 30.

Contributing: Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top Democratic leaders in Congress demand meeting with Trump as shutdown deadline nears

Reporting by Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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