Psaki names and shames GOP lawmakers 'playing games' with government shutdown

White House press secretary Jen Psaki used her daily briefing to name Republican lawmakers who she said are treating the debate over raising the debt ceiling "like a game".

Ms Psaki read aloud quotes from three senators involved in the effort to prevent the $3.5 trillion spending package proposed by Democrats to avoid shutdown. Expressing his opposition to raising the debt ceiling, Senator Rick Scott said "This is going to be a ball. I'm going to have so much fun".

Psaki said that the US defaulting on its debt obligations would be a "calamity for working families" and could cause "instant recession".