With Democratic congressional leaders refusing to budge on their price for avoiding a government shutdown on October 1, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is asking the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to “score” the actual costs to taxpayers if non-essential federal workers are told to stay home on October 1.

“If you haven’t read the headlines, Senator Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are plotting to shut down the government next week,” Ernst told CBO Director Philip Swagel in a September 22 letter. September 30 is the last day of the government’s current fiscal year. If Congress fails to approve a new budget, the government will close until one becomes law.

“The same politicians who whined and complained about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laying off unnecessary bureaucrats just a few months ago are now forcing a governmentwide shutdown themselves to expose who is and isn’t an essential employee,” Ernst told Swagel.

As evidence of the Democrats’ intent, Ernst cited a Politico headline declaring “Top Democratic Leaders Will Meet Wednesday to Plot Shutdown Strategy.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) contend they will let the government close on October 1 if their demands aren’t met to restore nearly $1.5 trillion in federal spending canceled earlier this year.

President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet with Schumer and Jeffries this week in the White House to discuss the situation, but he canceled it after concluding the Democrats were not offering reasonable terms.

“After reviewing the details of the unserious and ridiculous demands being made by the Minority Radical Left Democrats in return for their Votes to keep our thriving Country open, I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“They are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States unless they can have over $1 Trillion Dollars in new spending to continue free healthcare for Illegal Aliens (A monumental cost!), force Taxpayers to fund Transgender surgery for minors, have dead people on the Medicaid roles, allow Illegal Alien Criminals to steal Billions of Dollars in American Taxpayer Benefits, try to force our Country to again open our Borders to Criminals and to the World, allow men to play in women’s sports, and essentially create Transgender operations for everybody,” Trump continued.

In response, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, issued a statement declaring, “With a week until a government shutdown, President Trump and Republicans refuse to figure out a path forward to lower costs and address the health care crisis. They have total control of Washington.”

DeLauro continued, “Their partisan funding bill failed, and they decided to leave town for two weeks to hide rather than do the hard work of governing. But this was all by design. For nine months, since President Trump took office, Republicans have been working to shut down the government. Now it is here, and they are nowhere to be found.”

In her letter to CBO’s Swagel, Ernst requested answers to eight questions:

“Assuming backpay is eventually approved for non-essential employees who are furloughed, how much would likely be spent per day paying federal employees not to work?

“Will pay for our troops be delayed during a Schumer Shutdown?

“Will Senator Schumer, Congressman Jeffries, and other members of Congress continue to be paid during a government shutdown they provoked?

“Would a Schumer Shutdown cause damage to the economy by reducing economic activity?

“How will private-sector companies and businesses be affected by the Schumer Shutdown’s suspension of government services, such as issuing federal permits, certifications, loans, or other assistance?

“While federal employees will inevitably be paid the salaries they would have otherwise received, will private-sector companies and businesses recoup the lost income from a Schumer Shutdown?

“What are the expected daily costs to the federal government in lost efficiencies, such as procurements that cannot be fulfilled or lapsing contracts that cannot be renewed?

“Will visitors to our national parks and monuments, like the Statue of Liberty, be turned away during the Schumer shutdown or will states be forced to pick up the costs to keep these open?”

The Washington Stand has asked a CBO spokesman if the congressional spending analysis outfit will be able to provide answers to the Ernst questions before September 30.

In a separate statement, Ernst said, “A government shutdown benefits no one, but Schumer’s shutdown threat shows he bows to the far left instead of serving hardworking Americans. Make no mistake, Republicans are working to keep the government open for the people, but Democrats are obstructing to prevent us from eliminating waste. If Democrats continue to double down on their Schumer shutdown, they must know the true impact of their actions on the American people and our economy.”