Hawley introduced farm and SNAP funding bills during the government shutdown

First on Fox: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is looking to put Democrats’ “pies to the fire” with new legislation to get special funding for farm and food assistance programs during the government shutdown.

Halley’s Bills It would restore federal funding for the Farm Service Agency as well as the federal SNAP food program. Democrats have so far refused to work with Republicans during the government shutdown, now the second-longest in US history.

“We need to force Democrats to make some tough votes. We need to start holding their feet to the fire,” Hawley said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I mean, do they really not want people to eat? This situation is ridiculous.”

He says the farm bill is critical because much of the country, including his home state of Missouri, is closed during harvest season.

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Sen. Josh Hawley is introducing bills that would fund federal farm and food programs during the government shutdown. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D. has voted eleven times to fund the Republican government since the shutdown began on October 1, but Democrats have refused to cooperate, demanding sweeping changes to the budget.

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President Donald Trump has taken executive action to secure funding for military members, but most of the government is at a standstill.

“I have a lot of respect for what President Trump has done during this shutdown by moving the funding pool that is available to him to help members and the police. But he’s going to run out of resources soon,” Hawley said.

President Donald Trump took executive action to secure funding for military members during the government shutdown. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking to Hawley and other Senate Republicans at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said, Accused Democrats “Holding the entire federal government hostage.”

‘Goofballs’ and hostages: GOP senators say Schumer’s shutdown tactics are destroying the Senate

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, RN.Y. have remained stubborn in their demands for an extension of time to expire. Obamacare subsidies. While Senate Republicans are open to voting on the issue after the government reopens, Democrats want an ironclad guarantee that subsidies will be extended well before their term expires at the end of this year.

Sen. Chuck Schumer is leading Democrats in the government shutdown, demanding an extension of Obamacare subsidies. (Reuters)

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Thune reiterated at the White House on Tuesday that Senate Republicans are united in their battle to keep the same bill on the floor again.

“I mean, they want $1.5 trillion in new spending. They want free healthcare for people who are not citizens of this country. That’s just a flat nonstarter. It’s not going to pass the Senate. It’s not going to pass the House. It’s not going to be signed into law by the president,” Thune said.

Read Hawely’s Fund Our Farmers Act below (App Users Click Here)

Read Hawley’s Keep SNAP Funding Act below (App Users Click Here)

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.