Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) urged his Democratic colleagues on Thursday to end the government shutdown by supporting a GOP-led spending package.

Senate Democrats largely opposed the short-term funding bill earlier this week, vowing to vote against any bill that does not include an extension to health insurance subsidies that are expiring by the end of the year. Thune accused Democrats of “holding government funding hostage” on Thursday as he pleaded with them to join with Republicans to reopen the government.

“We are into the second day of a government shutdown after Democrats once again rejected a clean, nonpartisan funding bill to keep the government open while we continue bipartisan appropriation work,” Thune said on the Senate floor.

“And we’re going to give my Demo

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