Former Vice President Kamala Harris has voiced support for her Democratic colleagues, asserting that they are making the right choice by standing firm on their demands amid the ongoing government shutdown.

In a strategic move, Senate Democrats have blocked a stopgap measure ten times as they push for the extension of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies. This unwavering stance aims to prioritize healthcare affordability for Americans.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Harris emphasized, “Democrats are doing the right thing by championing the interests of working people and refusing to let Republicans impose a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the country’s workforce.”

As the shutdown stretches into its 18th day, Harris placed responsibility on her Republican counterparts for the lapse in federal funding. The prolonged shutdown threatens back pay for furloughed federal employees and has begun to negatively affect the economy.

Amidst the political standoff, the Trump administration is actively reallocating funds to ensure that military personnel receive their paychecks. Additionally, FBI agents and certain Department of Homeland Security employees are expected to be paid despite the shutdown.

“The Republicans control the House. They control the Senate. They control the White House,” Harris told AP. “They are in charge, and they are responsible for the shutdown.”

Amid closures, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is preparing to bring a full-year spending bill for the Pentagon to the floor as the shutdown extends to the three-week mark.

The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee says she remains in contact with former colleagues on Capitol Hill and has spent the last month touring American cities during the promotion of her “107 Days” book about her failed presidential bid.

“I am a leader of the party,” she said. “I take seriously that responsibility and duty that I feel.”