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Boehner demanded Friday that the White House and congressional Democrats negotiate with Republicans about ways to re-open the government and address criticisms of the president’s health care law.

The partial U.S. government shutdown, which began Tuesday morning, put as many as 800,000 federal employees out of work, closed national parks and halted some government services after Congress failed to break a partisan deadlock over President Barack Obama’s health care legislation.

Obama decided to stay home from economic summits in Asia as Democrats stepped up pressure on congressional Republicans to rein in their tea party faction and reopen the government with no strings attached.

House Republicans said that with Congress and the president in town this weekend, now is the perfect time to start negotiating a plan to reopen the government.

“All I’m asking for is let’s sit down, like the American people would expect us, and talk to one another about getting the government open and dealing with the significant problems that we face,” Boehner said.

GOP leaders said Friday the House will be in session Saturday so that Republicans can continue passing bills that would reopen selected parts of the federal government. The White House responded by issuing fresh veto threats Friday, saying Congress should reopen the entire federal government.