Senate Democrats Weigh Blocking GOP Shutdown Bill, Facing Looming Deadline

Senate Democrats Weigh Blocking GOP Shutdown Bill, Facing Looming Deadline
With a government shutdown looming less than 48 hours away, Senate Democrats are considering blocking a Republican-crafted funding bill, despite Republican efforts to place the blame for any potential shutdown squarely on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The House passed the resolution on Tuesday with a narrow 217-213 vote, revealing a stark partisan divide. However, the Senate faces a more complex challenge, requiring seven Democrats to join all 53 Republicans to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold and pass the measure before the Friday midnight deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Schumer contends that Republicans lack the necessary votes within their own ranks, accusing them of pursuing a partisan strategy by excluding Democrats from the bill’s drafting. He champions a short-term funding extension to April 11th, allowing for further negotiations, but firmly opposes the Republican bill, which extends funding through September.

The Democratic caucus is far from unified. While Senator John Fetterman has publicly declared his support for the Republican bill, Senator Rand Paul has vowed to vote against it. Several other Democrats, including Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Kelly, remain undecided. Senator Alex Padilla has suggested he might be swayed by amendments addressing California’s wildfire disaster relief, and Senator John Hickenlooper acknowledged the Republican bill as “the lesser of two very serious evils.”