(Houston, TX) — Senator Ted Cruz is blaming Democrats for the ongoing partial government shutdown.

On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Texas Republican said Democrats are holding federal workers hostage by not ending the shutdown and refusing to vote on issues they’ve supported in the past.  Cruz said President Trump is willing to compromise, but so far Democrats don’t want to do that.  He points out Senate Democrats like Chuck Schumer of New York voted for 350 miles of border fencing and border security in 2013 but is unwilling to do so now.