Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer signaled Thursday that he is ready to move forward with a Republican-led government funding bill, despite deep divisions within his party over whether to impose limits on the Trump administration just hours before a possible government shutdown.
On the Senate floor, Schumer said he would vote to advance the continuing resolution (CR) bill when it comes up for a vote on Friday, just hours before the midnight deadline. The Republican-backed government funding bill, recently passed by the House, proposes to fund federal operations through September 2025, thereby averting an immediate government shutdown.
“I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms to the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down,” Schumer said Thursday in a lengthy address.
“Trump has taken a blowtorch to our country and wielded chaos like a weapon,” Schumer continued. “For Donald Trump, a shutdown would be a gift. It would be the best distraction he could ask for from his awful agenda.”
Newsweek has reached out to Schumer’s office on Thursday night for comment.
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Why It Matters
Democrats are facing intense pressure to push back against the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk, which has been gutting long-established federal agencies and removing thousands of government employees from their positions.
The New York senator acknowledged that while the GOP bill is flawed, a shutdown would be even worse, granting President Trump and Musk “carte blanche” to dismantle the government.
What to Know
Schumer’s decision breaks a dayslong standoff within the party, as Senate Democrats have mounted a last-minute protest against the House-passed package. Their primary concern is that the bill fails to include any restrictions on Trump and Musk’s efforts to dismantle federal agencies and overhaul government operations.
Schumer faces limited options, as Democrats are hesitant to withhold their votes entirely, fearing they could be blamed for a full government shutdown.
SCHUMER: “I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms to the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.” pic.twitter.com/mHFqYZncRw
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 13, 2025
Democrats have remained united in pushing for a 30-day stopgap measure as an alternative to the House-passed bill.
With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority, Schumer argued Wednesday they lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
“Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR,” Schumer said Wednesday on the Senate floor. “Republicans do not have the votes,” he added.
However, Senate Republicans have shown little interest in the Democratic proposal.
With just one day before a midnight government shutdown deadline, President Trump signaled his willingness to step in. “If they need me, I’m there 100%,” he said Thursday. Yet, at an Oval Office meeting, he also shifted blame onto Democrats, declaring, “If it shuts down, it’s not the Republicans’ fault.”
Unlike past funding fights, House Republicans united behind DOGE cuts, leaving Democrats scrambling.
“I’m in the camp of like, don’t ever, ever shut the government down,” said Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat.
Progressive Democrats refuse to back down, with Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat from Texas, warning the House GOP bill will “supercharge Musk’s theft from working people”
Thursday on CNN, fellow New York Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it would be a “tremendous mistake” for Schumer to vote “yes” on cloture to end debate on the bill, overcoming a filibuster, and moving to a final vote.
Asked later if she thinks Schumer’s a weak Senate leader considering his reported support for cloture, the progressive Ocasio-Cortez responded to host Jake Tapper, “I think that that would be a mistake. We have time between now and tomorrow, and I hope that individuals that are considering that reconsider it.”
What People Are Saying
Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, accused Democrats Thursday of hypocrisy for criticizing Musk’s federal layoffs while potentially forcing government workers out of jobs with a shutdown: “They’ll cave.”
He added that Democrats “have been railing against Musk and the Trump administration over reductions in force of the federal employees, and now they basically want to put all of them out of work by shutting down the government. I don’t know how you reconcile those two positions.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, who opposes the measure, said Thursday: “People have strong views on both sides.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, posted Thursday on X: “I’m a hard NO on the Republican spending bill. On cloture. On all of it. When a wannabe dictator is trying to seize power, it must not be given to him. Not without a fight.”
Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, said Thursday: “Both choices that we are being offered are full of despair.”
What Happens Next
It is still unclear if the legislation will pass when the Senate takes up the bill on Friday. Republicans hold a 53-47 seat majority and need 60 votes to move forward.
Some Democrats have said they will vote against it and seemed willing to risk a shutdown Friday at midnight as they have criticized Trump’s efforts to make major cuts to government agencies.
In the next 24 hours, Democrats must decide whether to support advancing the funding package, which keeps the government running through September, or risk a shutdown when funding expires at midnight Friday.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Update: 3/13/25, 6:24 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 3/13/25, 6:49 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 3/13/25, 6:53 p.m. ET: This headline and article has been updated with additional remarks from Schumer to confirm his stance on the Republican-led government funding bill.
Update: 3/13/25, 7:10 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 3/13/25, 7:56 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
