House Democrats on Tuesday rejected Republicans' proposal for another supercommittee to address the ongoing government shutdown and threat of debt default.

The supercommittee would include members of both chambers and both parties, and would be similar to the 2011 supercommittee that failed and ultimately led to automatic budget cuts known as sequestration.

More than 7,000 children will be able to return to Head Start across the U.S. after philanthropists donated up to $10 million to reopen the early education programs as the government shutdown enters its second week, the National Head Start Association announced Monday.

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew will testify at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the debt ceiling on Thursday, a week before the Oct. 17 deadline when Congress must raise the statutory limit on borrowing authority or plunge the nation into default.

Seventy percent of Americans disapprove of the way Republican lawmakers are approaching budget negotiations as the federal government shutdown enters its second week, a seven point jump from last week, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll published Monday.

President Barack Obama fared marginally better, with 51 percent of respondents disapproving of his handling of budget negotiations. Congressional Democrats, however, carried a 61 percent disapproval rating, according to the poll.

President Barack Obama on Monday visted the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington to meet with and thank workers for their response to Tropical Storm Karen, which is approaching the Gulf of Mexico.