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Ryan: Democrats Shut Down Government 'With No End Game in Sight'

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said Sunday that Senate Democrats had shut down the government "with no end game," calling the impasse "baffling."

While Senate Democrats—the majority of whom opposed the House's spending bill Friday due to it not addressing DACA recipients— have cast blame on Republicans since they control the government, the GOP has dubbed it the "Schumer Shutdown" after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), since the vote couldn't meet a 60-vote threshold without more Democratic support.

"You can't blame Donald Trump for the Senate Democrats shutting down the government. They shut down the government with no end game in sight," Ryan said on "Face The Nation," adding he thought Democrats felt the House wouldn't pass its spending bill in the first place.

Republicans have said the immigration debate—the deadline to address the DACA recipients isn't until March—should be separate, and Ryan said congressional Republicans are working with Democrats on that debate. The White House has stated there will be no negotiations on immigration while the government stays shut down.

"That's what's baffling about this," Ryan said.

Ryan also said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) was going to offer a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8. The House's bill that the Senate voted down—44 Democrats and four Republicans voted against it—funded the government through Feb. 16.

"What Leader McConnell is going to offer is one that has a different date on it," Ryan said. "He is going to bring up a bill keeping funded to Feb. 8, and we’ve agreed that we’re going to accept that in the House. So, we will see sometime today whether or not they have the votes for that."