(DC Bureau) – The White House's Office of Management and Budget has directed government agencies to "consider" mass layoffs in the event of a government shutdown next week, but Democrats say the directive doesn't get them any closer to voting for a Republican spending bill.

"We will not be intimidated by these threats coming from the most extreme parts of the Trump Administration," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said.

Democrats say they are open to negotiations, but they accuse their GOP counterparts of failing to meet them at the table.

"The Democratic position is clear: We will meet and sit down anytime, anyplace, with anyone, including the president, who canceled the meeting," Jeffries said, referring to a scheduled sit-down between President Donald Trump and Democrat

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