Sparks flew at the contentious hearing in which Republicans blamed the National Park Service for unnecessarily using additional personnel to close down notable landmarks, including the World War II Memorial.
“Why, when I asked the police standing duty there personally, did they tell me that every policeman was on duty?” Issa said in a question posted to Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. “I repeat, an open-air monument was guarded by the same number of people to prevent Americans from getting in as would allow them to safely go in and out on a daily basis.”
Issa subpoenaed Jarvis during the hearing for a second time (he was already subpoenaed to appear before the Committee) in order to obtain documents, including e-mails and phone calls, related to the shutdown.
Democrats on the committees, including Oversight Committee ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), expressed exasperation that their Republican colleagues decided to hold the hearing in the first place. “Their approach puts ideology of one political party ahead of the interest of our entire nation. Even worse, if this issue is not resolved in the next few hours, we will begin defaulting on our debts, something our nation has never done before.”
“Do you know what really honors our nation’s heroes for their service and for their sacrifice?” Cummings asked. “Providing them with the benefits they earned after suffering injuries in combat. Paying them the pensions they need to cover their rent, their utility bills, their food and guaranteeing the assistance they rely on to stay off the streets and, in some cases, to simply stay alive.”
As details of the Senate-brokered deal to end the fiscal stalemate trickled out on Wednesday, the partisan divisions within the committees were on full display.
At one point, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), posed an unusual question to the Park Service chief: “Director Jarvis, I’m just curious, the philosophy that you have as director of the Park Service. Do you believe our rights come from our creator or from our government and Constitution?”
Furious Democrats on the committees pushed back.
“I came to Congress to solve problems. I came to Congress to try to work across the aisle and raise the political discourse in this country and try to set a better tone,” said a frustrated Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). ”And, instead, I am taking part in a hearing that makes the McCarthy era look like the Enlightenment.”

House Republicans are planning no new proposals on the first day of a shutdown to fully fund the government, but they will introduce three small bills that would continue funding for veteran benefits, national parks and museums, plus another measure that would allow the District of Columbia to continue operating using its own revenue.

Although the move wouldn't end the budget impasse, the measures would ease some of the pain while lawmakers continue to try to find a path out of the standoff, and House leaders were preparing for votes Tuesday evening.

Senate Democrats, however, rejected the new offer outright. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday afternoon insisted, as he has throughout the entire process, that the Senate would accept nothing short of a bill that funds all government operations.

"The government is shut down," Reid said on the Senate floor. "And if they think they're going to nit-pick us on this, it won't work."