Sen. Mike Rounds Marion (Mike) Michael RoundsChamber of Commerce endorses McSally for reelection Senate GOP eyes early exit Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (R-S.D.) said Thursday that it's not "palatable" for many federal workers to take out loans for financial assistance during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Rounds was asked on CNN about comments by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross Wilbur Louis RossTikTok, WeChat to be banned Sunday from US app stores The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Trump seeks to flip 'Rage' narrative; Dems block COVID-19 bill Judge orders Trump administration stop 'winding down' census collection, processing efforts MORE, who said earlier in the day that he didn't understand why some federal workers were resorting to food banks when they could take out guaranteed loans.

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"I think what he’s suggesting is an alternative, but it's not one that’s palatable to a whole lot of people," Rounds said. "And it does suggest that maybe we’re not understanding how serious this is, not just to government workers but to contractors and also to the people that they offer services to."

"It’s not like these individuals aren’t providing services to the rest of the American public," Rounds added, noting that Americans rely on services from agencies such as the Coast Guard and Agriculture Department that are without funding during the shutdown.

"He is suggesting is an alternative but it is not palatable to a lot of people and does suggest maybe we don't understand how serious it is to federal workers and contractors," @SenatorRounds reacts to Wilbur Ross saying furloughed workers should get loans instead of food banks pic.twitter.com/4P9uorvyCG — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) January 24, 2019

Rounds suggested that members of Congress should not be paid or be eligible for back pay if the government shuts down in the future.

Ross, who is reportedly worth $700 million, stirred controversy by downplaying the economic impact of 800,000 federal employees being furloughed or working without pay during the shutdown, which was sparked by an impasse over President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE's demand for border wall funding and has lasted 34 days and counting.

He added that he didn't "really quite understand why" a number of those going without pay have gone to food banks or shelters in recent weeks.

"The 30 days of pay that some people will be out, there’s no real reason why they shouldn’t be able to get a loan against it, and we’ve seen a number of ads of financial institutions doing that," Ross said.

Hundreds of banks and credit unions have offered low- or no-interest loans against back pay to federal workers who will not be paid until the shutdown ends. Furloughed contractors, however, may not receive any back pay once the shutdown ends.

If the shutdown stretches into next week, federal workers will miss a second paycheck.

The Senate is set to vote Thursday on a pair of measures that could end the shutdown, though neither is expected to receive the 60 votes needed to pass.