WASHINGTON

US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged House Republicans on Thursday to return to Washington and engage in meaningful negotiations to reopen the government.

"House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly made clear that we will sit down with anyone, anytime, anyplace to negotiate a bipartisan agreement that reopens the government and that addresses the Republican health care crisis," Jeffries told reporters in Congress as the federal government remained shuttered for a ninth day.

His remarks came after the Senate failed to advance funding bills to end the government shutdown for a seventh time.

The Democrats have made "clear" that they will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that "continues to gut" the health of the American people, he added.

Jeffries laid blame on President Donald Trump and House Republicans for the shutdown, saying they have chosen political games over public responsibility.

"Now it's time for House Republicans to get back in town, get to the negotiating table and get real about reopening the government," he said.

Jeffries argued that Trump and Republicans decided to shut down the government "because they would rather inflict that kind of pain that the American people are experiencing right now than address the health care of everyday Americans."

"This Republican health care crisis must be addressed with the fierce urgency of now," he said.