Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has openly criticized members of his own party over the ongoing government shutdown, urging both sides to prioritize reopening the government. Speaking on Sunday Morning Futures, Fetterman said, “Shutting our government down — that’s the wrong message for the world, and for Americans as well.”

The senator emphasized that the issue should not be about assigning blame but about finding solutions. “It’s not about a blame game. It’s about opening this government, having this conversation, and addressing important healthcare issues,” he added. In a separate interview, Fetterman reaffirmed his stance, saying he would “never” support a government shutdown, regardless of which party is responsible.

“It was wrong when Republicans did it, and it’s wrong now. The real losers are the Americans who get caught in the middle,” he said. Fetterman also expressed support for discussions on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits but insisted that such talks should only happen once the government is back open.

“Let’s get our government open and have that conversation, so people can get paid, and we can avoid this kind of chaos,” he urged. Fetterman was joined by Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine in voting for a Republican-backed funding measure to keep the government running. However, the bill fell short of the votes needed to advance, prolonging the standoff in Congress.