- A funding bill is approved by House Republicans.
- Democrats see two undesirable choices.
- Unless Congress acts, partial government shutdowns begin on Saturday.
The U.S. On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled House
of Representatives passed a stopgap funding bill, forcing Senate Democrats to
choose between supporting the bill, which many of them oppose, and allowing a
government shutdown.
President Donald Trump's
Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority but would need the support of at least
some Democrats to meet the chamber's 60-vote threshold to pass most
legislation. Depending on the plans of
Democrats, it could vote on the measure on Wednesday, according to a source
familiar with the Senate Republican discussions.
Senator Angus King, a
Democratic caucus member who is an independent, stated, "There's a lot of
discussion." The Maine legislator put it this way: either vote for "a
pretty bad" bill or vote for a vote that would start a partial government
shutdown on Saturday when Trump and his adviser Elon Musk are already moving
quickly to cut the government.
"There's less chance
of getting something" if you're dealing with people who would rather have
a shutdown, King said. "They could say that the government will remain
shut down for months." Global rating agencies have taken steps to lower
the once-pristine credit rating of the United States federal government as a
result of Congressional brinkmanship, which includes numerous close calls with
shutdowns and over $36 trillion in debt.
Democrats have long
chided Republicans for threatening or voting for government shutdowns, and
Republicans were quick to call them out for considering votes that could risk
one.
On X, Republican Senate
Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota stated, "While Senate
Republicans are working hard to prevent a government shutdown, it will
ultimately be up to Senate Democrats to decide whether or not they turn out the
lights on the federal government.
" Senate Democrats
huddled behind closed doors for an extended lunchtime discussion on their next
steps, aware that Republicans were likely to blame them for a shutdown if they
blocked the House-passed bill hours before it was passed on Tuesday.
Existing federal funds
for agencies that oversee programs for veterans, law enforcement, medical
researchers, schools, air traffic controllers, and many others will run out at
midnight on Friday unless Congress takes action. Top Senate Democrat Chuck
Schumer's office did not respond to requests for comment on how he planned to
proceed.
Other Democrats stated
that they were uncertain of their next move. After the House vote, Connecticut
Senator Richard Blumenthal told reporters, "The last thing in the world I
want to do is give Elon Musk more power than he already has."
"He is an autocrat
who was not elected." However, Blumenthal stated that before deciding how
he would vote on the spending bill, there were additional factors to take into
account. However, other Democrats in the Senate made it clear last week that
they would never vote for a government shutdown.
House Republicans have
rejected a proposal from several Democrats and even leading Senate Republicans
to reach a middle ground and pass a 30-day funding extension to give lawmakers
enough time to finish more comprehensive regular appropriations bills.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said he might propose "some
kind of open amendment process," which would give Senate Democrats a chance
to make changes to the bill.
