GOP Leader Warns Federal Workers and Soldiers Will Be ‘Getting Thanksgiving Dinner From a Food Bank’ in Scorching Speech

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) warned Thursday that federal workers and military families would be “getting Thanksgiving dinner from a food bank” if the government shutdown continues, blasting “far left” Democrats threatening party colleagues in the Senate not to cave.

As the ongoing government shutdown entered its 37th day, extending its record as the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Thune took to the Senate floor for a scorching speech citing an anonymous House Democrat’s comments to Axios from one day prior.

Insisting that Republicans were “100% willing to sit down and talk” and accusing Democrats of “holding the federal government hostage,” he warned that his political rivals were “under a lot of pressure from the far left” to maintain the stand-off as the impact worsens.

“I do know that Democrats have been under a lot of pressure from the far left. The far left pushed them to shut down the government. And the far left has pushed them to keep it shut down. As one House Democrat told Axios yesterday, and I quote – ‘there would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don’t let events play out’ – end quote,” he said.

“‘There would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don’t let events play out.’ That quote from a House Democrat just yesterday,” he repeated for emphasis.

Thune continued: “Mr. President, what events need to play out? What more needs to happen for the far left to be satisfied? The pain this shutdown has caused is only getting worse: 40 million Americans who rely on food assistance programs are at risk of going hungry without a resolution to the shutdown. I’m sure these Americans are doing everything in their power to feed their families but they can’t do that forever. Federal workers have now gone without pay for more than a month, including the people in this building.”

Then came his blunt warning: “Will the far left not be satisfied until federal workers and military families are getting Thanksgiving dinner from a food bank? Because that’s where we headed.”

Watch above via Fox News.