Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said Wednesday that his party will oppose the spending bill that Republicans have drafted and passed.
“Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort. But Republicans drafted a continuing resolution without any opinions from Congressional Democrats and chose a partisan path,” Schumer wrote in X, reflecting the comments he made on the Senate floor.
“So Republicans don’t have the vote to pass House CR in the Senate,” he wrote. “Our caucus is unified with a 30-day clean CR that gives Congress time to negotiate bipartisan laws that can keep the government open and pass. We need to vote for it.”
Schumer called for a one-month spending bill to keep the government open until April 11th so Democrats can better negotiate the deal. The ongoing resolution that passed the House on Tuesday with a nearly party vote of 217-213 will leave the government open for the next six months for the remainder of the fiscal year ending September 30th.
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Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., will speak to the media following the Senate Democratic Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2025 (The Washington Post via Ricky Carioti/Getty Images)
The minority leader addressed the Senate floor after a luncheon with a Democrat senator on Wednesday. They reportedly feared that the closure would be tougher for their party despite widespread opposition to the CR.
D-Va, according to NBC News. Sen. Tim Kane, of the group, told reporters after the meeting. “The Democrats had nothing to do with this bill, and we want an opportunity to win an amendment vote or two, and that’s what we’re asserting.”
“Frankly, both results have been bad,” Sen. Rafael Warnock added, according to NBC. “There are consequences for elections, but this is an extreme bill. If it passes, it will hurt many ordinary people on the ground. If the government is shut down, it will hurt many ordinary people on the ground.
Warnock said the additional problem he has with the bill is “I think we’re going forward with this project we’re looking at coming from the administrative department. This power grab is not respecting the power of the wallet in Congress.”
Senator Mark Kelly of D-Ariz has not said whether he will support the bill in the upper room.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., will speak at a press conference following the weekly Senate Democratic Policy Luncheon at the Capitol. (Aldrago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I appreciate the poor choices for each,” Kelly said support for the six-month stop allowed a bad precedent that Republicans could put together fundraising bills without being involved in the negotiation process without Democrats.
Senator John Fetterman is D-PA. said he supports an ongoing resolution to avoid government shutdowns, but Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn).” said Democrats should vote for a short-term bill, saying they “don’t want to shut down the government.”
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President Donald Trump supports the six-month continued resolution, allowing Republicans to focus their time on moving forward with their border and tax agenda early in their second term.
The bill would require 60 votes to strengthen military spending and avoid filibusters while reducing domestic programs in non-defensive countries. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats.
Senator Rand Paul is R-Ky. The GOP needs at least eight Democrats to cross the aisle to avoid filibusters, as it shows it refuses to resolve ongoing.
Senate Majority Leader John Toon, R-South Dakota, will speak at a press conference following the Senate Republican Policy Luncheon held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 (via Getty Images via Al Drago/Bloomberg)
Republicans argue that the House is already on a break until March 24th, so it’s too late to trade it for a one-month bill.
Senate majority leader John Tune, Rs.D. shows reporters that they are open to having conversations with Democrats by making potential revisions to the CR.
Sen. Ben Ray Lejean, DN.M., has previously torched Republicans for protecting Democrats from the negotiation table.
“Republicans are in charge of the Senate, they are in charge of the House, they have the White House. Americans know who is in charge,” he said. “It’s ridiculous that Republicans try to blame the party, which is a minority everywhere.”
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Politico said Schumer on Wednesday would allow enough central Democrats to join Republicans to support the ongoing resolution despite his voice opposition to the Senator’s action.
“They’re going to swallow it,” White House officials reportedly told the outlet. “They’re screwed completely.”
Daniel Wallace is a news and political reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and to X:@danimwallace.
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