Democratic and Republican leaders remain far apart on how to end the partial shutdown of the US government as another day of voting approaches on Monday.
In separate Sunday interviews with NBC's Meet the Press, the House's top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries and its Republican leader Mike Johnson each blamed the other's party for the continued stand-off, which will head to its fifth day on Monday.
The key dividing issue has been healthcare. Democrats want to ensure health insurance subsidies for those on low-income do not expire, and aim to reverse cuts to the Medicaid health program.
A bill to fund the government has passed the House, but has repeatedly failed in the Senate.
Jeffries accused Republicans of lying about Democrats' intentions in the negotiations because they're losing the court of public opinion.
But Johnson said Democrats were not serious and negotiating in bad faith - they're doing this to get political cover.
The Senate is expected to reconvene on Monday afternoon and once again take up a pair of continuing resolutions to fund the government. Meanwhile, House Democrats will meet on Monday to discuss the situation.
Johnson has extended a House recess through the week, meaning Congress' lower chamber will not be in session to take up a funding bill should the Senate make any changes and come to a deal.
Republicans hold a narrow majority of 53 seats in the 100-seat Senate, but any funding measure will require 60 votes to pass.
In his interview with NBC, Johnson argued that Democrats' refusal to approve a short-term spending bill that kept funding at current levels was unnecessary. The healthcare tax credits at issue do not expire until the end of the year, he said, and a Democratic proposal would add too much new spending in a seven-week stopgap measure.
He also argued that the tax credits would not help address what he says are major problems with healthcare policy, including illegal aliens and able-bodied young men without dependents using Medicaid.
Some Republicans, including Vice-President JD Vance, have cast the Democrats' position as trying to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens. Democrats have denied those claims and illegal or undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the schemes the Democrats are supporting.
Jeffries told NBC that Democrats feel the consequences of the expiring credits are dire.
We are standing up for the healthcare of hard-working American taxpayers, he said. If Republicans continue to refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit, tens of millions of American taxpayers are going to experience dramatically increased premiums, copays, and deductibles.
Jeffries criticized US President Donald Trump's handling of the shutdown and his social media posts aimed at Democrats, saying, that behaviour is outrageous.
New polling data from CBS found that Americans view both parties' handling of the shutdown unfavorably, with 80% of those polled worried about the economic impact of the shutdown. The survey found that voters predominantly blame Trump and Republicans for the situation, while the consequences of the shutdown are beginning to mount.
