


Senate Democrats are hoping for some small wins against Republicans as the chamber considers House GOP’s stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown.
The House of Representatives approved a continuing resolution on Tuesday to fund the government through the end of September at current levels, with $8 billion more in defense spending and $13 billion in non-defense spending cuts. All but one Republican supported it, and all but one Democrat opposed it. With the House in recess until March 24, the fate of the government shutting down on Friday is up to the Senate.
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Senate GOP leadership wants to pass the House-approved stopgap, but the measure would need to surpass the 60-vote filibuster threshold to move forward. With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority, at least seven Democrats would need to join the GOP in pushing the measure forward.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Republicans do not have the votes to invoke cloture on the bill, even as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) tees up a Friday vote on the legislation.
Democrats have largely honed in on a proposal that would allow a vote on a Democratic amendment to change the continuing resolution to 28 days, among other amendments to adjust funding, in exchange for votes to secure cloture. Once cloture is invoked with a 60-vote margin, the bill would only need a simple majority, which Republicans have enough votes for, to pass.
“We want amendments, and we think we are entitled to get an amendment vote — and we are not going to support cloture until we get that,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told reporters on Wednesday.
Democrats, being in the minority, are unlikely to see any of their amendments succeed, but the votes would give the appearance of resistance to Trump and the GOP-led stopgap. Another factor complicating the success of amendments being added is that the House would need to return to adopt those amendments, but the lower chamber of Congress has already left town.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who is the lone Democrat saying he would support pushing the GOP-led stopgap forward, said Thursday that “total theater is neither honest with constituents nor a winning argument,” regarding the option of getting a vote on amendments in exchange for cloture.
Thune appeared open to an agreement to vote on amendments in exchange for support on cloture, but said there was no update in talks between his team and Schumer’s team, according to Punchbowl News.
Another option Democrats have is to stand their ground on the one-month extension proposal as their only way forward, but such an option would risk a shutdown, which Republicans have been trying to tee up as a “Schumer Shutdown.”
Earlier this month, Republicans appeared at risk of being unable to pass a continuing resolution through the House. With nudges by Vice President JD Vance and the White House, the GOP pushed it forward as a mostly united front, and now have turned the tables on who would be to blame for a shutdown — with only Democrats standing in their way in the Senate.
If a shutdown occurs, Democrats would likely point to unified GOP control of government as reason to blame them, although the Republican majority in the Senate is not filibuster-proof.
The shutdown could backfire and harm Democrats’ attempt to position themselves as allies to federal workers, as the Trump administration cuts the federal workforce. During a government shutdown, most federal workers are furloughed, while essential workers must stay on the job, with all workers having pay delayed until the shutdown is over.
The shutdown would also put the Office of Management and Budget, under the executive branch, in charge of what stays open during a shutdown, giving the Trump administration more control over what operations get cut in the interim — something Democrats would likely oppose.
“I read that [the Office of Management and Budget] would be in charge of things during a shutdown. That’s a concern,” Sen. Angus King (I-ME), who caucuses with Democrats, said.
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Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan which is coordinated by the OMB, with essential services continuing despite the temporary lapse in funding. Mandatory spending, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, continue regardless of a shutdown.
The Senate is expected to vote on the House-passed continuing resolution on Friday, hours before a government shutdown would occur.