That's totally absurd. You guys are experts at red herrings and distractions. It has nothing to do with Epstein.

It has always been the case, that is tradition and I think it is statutory law, that federal employees be paid. And that’s my position. I think they should be.

This is a publicity stunt.

It's my understanding that the law is that they would be paid. There is some other legal analysis that is floating around.

Yeah, reopen the government so we can get back to work.

It's not up to the president.

Let me look right into the camera and tell you clearly: Republicans are the ones concerned about health care.

We have all voted repeatedly, over and over, to keep the government open, and it comes down to the necessity of 60 votes in the Senate.

No, it has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back. It’s a ceremonial duty.

Look, we’ll schedule it, I guess, as soon as she wants. It has nothing to do with it. I, we’re in pro forma session because there is nothing for the House to do. The House has done its job.

That issue is for debate in the next three months.

Because they’ve decided to vote to shut the government down, they have now effectively turned off the legislative branch, the Article 1 branch of our government, and they’ve turned it over to the executive.

If that is true, that should turn up the urgency and the necessity of the Democrats doing the right thing here.

This has nothing to do with that.

I'm telling you my position- I'm the Speaker of the House.

We were always planning to do that. Again, that funding runs out December 31.

Play the tape of Chuck Schumer saying consistently for the last 30 years that CRs are dangerous, destructive, and selfish.

Chuck Schumer has shut it off because he needs a political argument right now.