It's day 10 of the government shutdown and there is zero movement from lawmakers in the nation's capital.
Lawmakers are not set to meet until Tuesday, leaving many federal workers' pockets empty while the gridlock continues.
"They don't accomplish anything except disruption, and we all look like idiots." said Congressman Mark Amodei, (R) Nevada.
Amodei had a sit down with us Friday morning to give us his two cents on the shutdown and why it's a lose-lose for everyone.
"This deal of saying I want to deliver for my political base, whether it's Republicans or Democrats, it's like that isn't going to solve the problem," he said.
Amodei said that with the majority of Nevada being owned by the federal government and a good amount of the state's budget coming from Washington D.C., things could even get even worse the longer this goes on.
"After 30 days, it's getting into real, real blood on the street, if you will," the Congressman said.
Amodei says it's the people who have nothing to do with this who really feel the squeeze.
"So, you're going to get paid. The question is that doesn't really help when it's like, so you're going to call my mortgage company and say, hey, I'm good for it as soon as they pay me or, you know, the inconvenience is off the charts," he said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 22,000 federal employees work in Nevada, not including federal contractors.
The White House said Friday morning it would start firing federal employees to push Democratic lawmakers into signing the bill. Amodei says it could be a bluff, but if not?
"You better have something that doesn't add to the fact that people have earned money and are not getting paid," he said. "You don't do something that adds to it and go 'Oh, by the way. And you don't have a job.' It's like there better be a good reason for somebody not having a job. Other than we're just going to keep up in the ante until one side or another says uncle," he said.
Since Amodei is on the House side, he wanted to state he doesn't know what the Senate is doing. He does think more needs to be done in the health care space.
"Health care reform is something that the federal government has dodged the ball on, whether it's Republicans or Democrats, and it's like, okay, if you're worried about affordability, then instead of just saying keep subsidizing this stuff, let's get together and talk about what the two drivers of cost are instead of, well, we got to shut down here," Amodei said. "We're going to see who blinks first. I don't think that solves anything."
The Congressman says he has not spoken with either of the Nevada Senators but applauds Senator Catherine Cortez Masto being one of the few Democrats to vote in favor of continuing talks on the bill.
"Hats off for her because I know what it's like to be one of only one or two that vote against whatever the party line happens to be. And that's never fun," Amodei said.
Both Senator Cortez Masto and Senator Jacky Rosen said they would donate their paychecks earned during the shutdown to charity.
Amodei says he doesn't plan to keep his money either.
"Yeah, but we're going to take a look at who is doing the best to minimize the impact on federal workers and the troops," Amodei said. "So, maybe that's the Food Bank. Maybe that's if the National Guard's got something. So, we're in the process of looking at all we've got till the end of the month to figure that out."
Again, the next time the Senate meets is Tuesday.Â
