House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) took exception to a question Sunday by ABC's George Stephanopoulos about a possible government shutdown ahead, saying, "Why are you putting that on us?"
Some Democrats this week voiced possibly withholding votes from spending legislation to keep the government open in December if President Donald Trump didn't make a deal on DACA. Last month, Trump rescinded the Obama-era executive order that protected young illegal immigrants from deportation and gave Congress six months to pass a bill on the matter.
Pelosi told the Washington Post this week that Trump's demands like a border wall and crackdown on sanctuary cities in exchange for signing DREAM Act legislation were a "non-starter." While she said "I fully intend to use every possibility," Pelosi said she wasn't quite at a shutdown, as other Democrats have hinted.
"You say you don't want to shut down the government, but the White House has made it pretty clear. If the president doesn't get his priorities, like the wall, with the government funding bill in December, they are not going to have the votes to keep the government open," Stephanopoulos said.
"Well, why are you putting that on us?" Pelosi asked. "They have the majority in the House and the Senate and the president's signature. They have the power to keep government open."
Stephanopoulos wanted to know what Pelosi's demands would be if the Republicans couldn't get the requisite votes to pass a spending bill.
"It's a negotiation. It's not a price you demand," Pelosi said, adding she hoped Congress would pass the DREAM Act by year's end.
Pelosi, who has taken criticism from within her caucus on negotiating with Trump, said she took him at his word that he "cares" about the young people who will be affected by any action on DACA.