WASHINGTON 

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday blamed Republicans for the government shutdown, accusing them of forcing a crisis by refusing to address the nation’s health care concerns.

"Today's Oct. 1, the first full day of Donald Trump's government shutdown. Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us into a shutdown because they refuse to protect Americans' health care," Schumer said on the Senate floor. “It's clear that the way out of this shutdown is to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to address the looming health care crisis that faces tens of millions of American families.”

Funding for the US government has been cut off after the Republican Party and Democrats failed to agree on a way forward on a spending bill. It means that while some US government services will continue, others are being temporarily suspended.

Schumer said Republicans need to "get serious" and start "actually" addressing the looming crisis and reopen the government.

"Why has all of this happened? Why are we here on Oct. 1? Because Republicans have tried to stick us with a partisan CR (continuing resolution) that fails to protect Americans' health care and does nothing, nothing to fix the health care mess that they created.

"It has now failed twice to get enough votes in this chamber. So, Republicans need to negotiate with us," he said.

If Republicans work with Democrats and fix America's health care crisis, the shutdown could go away "very quickly, and that's what Democrats want," Schumer stressed.

While a shutdown does not automatically result in a full-blown economic crisis, it creates major disruptions for many aspects of American life.

Many federal employees will be furloughed, or forced to work without pay, while others will be placed on mandatory leave until a new budget is approved. Each federal agency has its own shutdown plan, determining which government employees are essential.

Unlike past shutdowns, Trump has threatened to make additional layoffs if the government closes.