Senate Votes to Avert Government Shutdown

On Friday, the Senate narrowly passed a Republican-written stopgap spending measure to prevent a government shutdown at midnight, with a final vote of 54 to 46. The measure, which funds the government through September 30, was supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine other Democrats, allowing it to advance despite initial opposition.

The decision to support the bill came after days of internal Democratic debate about how to effectively resist President Trump, who currently holds significant power with control over the White House, Senate, and House. Many Democrats were frustrated by Schumer’s reversal, viewing it as a capitulation that could empower Trump and his allies, including Elon Musk, to further undermine government functions.

Schumer initially opposed the bill, advocating for a month-long alternative to negotiate specific spending measures. However, he changed his stance after Republicans rejected this proposal, recognizing that a shutdown would likely benefit Trump. He argued that allowing a shutdown would give the Trump administration the power to determine which federal workers were “nonessential,” leading to mass furloughs.

The Republican stopgap measure maintains federal funding levels from the Biden administration but increases military spending by $6 billion and cuts the District of Columbia’s budget by approximately $1 billion. Critics, including top Democrats, expressed concern that the lack of specific funding directives would create slush funds for the Trump administration.

The vote highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party, with some members arguing that funding the government would endorse Trump’s unilateral actions, while others believed avoiding a shutdown was more critical. The situation reflects ongoing tensions about how to effectively counter the current administration’s policies.

Source: NYT