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,

“There’s probably 400 different ideas on how to fix that, so we need a little time to do it,” Johnson said. “We’re not saying we won’t negotiate it. We’re saying turn the lights back on in Congress.”

Johnson warned that the shutdown has already disrupted key federal programs, including health services for veterans and seniors, FEMA’s flood insurance program during hurricane season, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

“Get troops paid, TSA agents and Border Patrol agents paid who are trying to protect us,” Johnson said.