Democrat Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives Katherine Clark said that American families are going to have to suffer through the Democrat-led government shutdown so that the party can retain its “leverage.”

“Shutdowns are terrible. And of course there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark said in a recent interview with Fox News.

Democrats are refusing to sign onto a clean continuing resolution that would keep the government open and at current spending levels through November. Passing the clean continuing resolution would allow for Congress to negotiate any changes to spending during the appropriations period. Notably, Democrats voted for a clean continuing resolution 13 times under the Biden administration.

“This is now the longest full shutdown in American history,” Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday during a press conference. “And yet again, Senate Democrats voted for the 11th time — 12 times overall, when you count House and Senate Democrats — to prolong the pain and keep the government closed.”

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Democrats are “holding the entire federal government hostage,” adding, “We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs.” (Read more from “Top Democrat Says Americans Need To Suffer So Democrats Can Have Political ‘Leverage’” HERE)