Russ Vought told the senators that layoffs would target agencies that don’t fit into the Trump administration’s priorities, the people said. Many Democrats — including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — downplayed the threat of mass firings as they argued that the White House had been already whittling down the size of the federal workforce. “This is a job killing administration,” Jeffries said, arguing that Trump has been doing this since he was inaugurated. Senate Democrats again voted down the GOP’s funding plan because it did not include a guarantee for enhanced Obamacare subsidies. “The fear of many is setting the new precedent of holding federal workers hostage at every CR expiration,” one House GOP member added to CNN.