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WASHINGTON – California Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff have voted with most Democrats on temporary measures to fund the government, paving the way for possible government shutdowns by the weekend.
“Donald Trump gives him six months to continue destroying the government,” Schiff said in a video posted to X. “It’s not going to fly. What we should do is be short-term, allowing members of Congress to agree to set regular funding levels for every part of the government.
The Senate must vote for a continuing resolution that the House has passed slightly on the partisan basis for the majority this week — one Democrat has supported the measure, and one Republican voted to fund the government past Friday’s deadline. With a very small majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) relied on President Trump to persuade Republicans to pass legislation.
The measure was then moved to the Senate. There, Republicans need Democrats’ help to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass without a filibuster. Padilla and Schiff have shown they will not lend a hand to Republicans.
California senators and other Democrats argue that by supporting the resolution, his advisor Elon Musk, who leads so-called government efficiency, will allow the federal government to continue its fierce cuts. Earlier this week, the Trump administration fired about half of the nearly 4,000 staff members in the Department of Education.
“We can’t give more power to Trump and Elon Musk,” Padilla said in a statement on Wednesday on X. “The House Republican spending bill is a non-starter. It will completely transform California with disaster relief in the wake of a catastrophic LA County fire.”
The spending bill includes $22.5 billion in the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund, which will be drawn from LA County’s response to wildfires.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) said in a statement Wednesday that Senate Democrats were “unified in 30 days.” [continuing resolution] It leaves the government open and gives Congress time to negotiate bipartisan laws that can be passed. “However, a short-term funding agreement supported by the California Senator fails to pass through a Republican-controlled room.
The impact of government shutdowns could be politically devastating for Democrats. The party is already struggling to determine a unified response to Congress and the Republican bases in the White House. Republican leaders have already shown to pin Democrat closures, denounce the hypocrisy of pushing towards government shutdowns while opposing cuts to government.
“If they’re closed, it’s not Republicans’ fault,” Trump told reporters Thursday.
But Democrats are pointing their fingers to Republican leaders.
“Remember, don’t forget that Republicans control the White House, the House and the Senate,” Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) said. “If the government is shut down, that’s because they want it — not us.”
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