House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday blamed Senate Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown, criticizing their rejection of a short-term Republican spending bill.

In an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Johnson said the House had approved a bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government funded for seven weeks, but accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of blocking the measure for political purposes.

“Real people are being adversely affected around the country in very substantial ways,” Johnson said. “I pray that more Democrats in the Senate will come to their senses and do the right thing.”

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, rejected Democrats’ efforts to link the shutdown to the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, calling the issue a “red herring.” He said the matter could be debated at a later time, arguing that the current subsidies are plagued by “fraud, waste, and abuse” and should be reformed before any extension is considered, Newsmax