Democrats Back GOP Bill, Government Shutdown Averted!
Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), have decided to step back from the brink of a government shutdown after intense internal debate over how to counter President Trump’s aggressive push to shrink federal agencies.
Schumer announced he would vote in favor of advancing a Republican funding bill set for a vote on Friday afternoon, ensuring the government remains operational. Speaking on the Senate floor, he acknowledged the GOP measure was flawed but argued that shutting down the government would be an even worse outcome, handing Trump unchecked power. “I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down,” Schumer stated, describing the situation as a difficult decision with no ideal choice.
For days, Democrats wrestled with how to handle the GOP bill, which grants the administration more freedom to cut federal agencies—a move Democrats oppose but Republicans support. The bill represented a rare bargaining chip for Democrats in a GOP-controlled Congress, with House Democrats and activists urging senators to use it as leverage. However, concerns grew that a shutdown wouldn’t force Republicans into negotiations but instead strengthen Trump’s hand, allowing him to close parts of the government indefinitely.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D., N.M.), who opposed the bill, likened the situation to standing up to a bully. “I think when you confront a bully, you have to confront a bully,” he said. But many Democratic senators feared that blocking the bill could backfire, giving Trump even more power to dismantle government functions without an easy path to reopening them.
With enough Democrats expected to back the measure, the threat of a shutdown appears to be off the table—for now.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) announced he would support the Republican funding bill, warning that President Trump, whom he called a “nihilist,” could exploit a shutdown by selectively reopening parts of the government. “He’s taken a blowtorch to our country,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats faced a tough choice with no ideal outcome.
His announcement followed a tense Senate Democratic meeting. While Schumer confirmed that members were making their own decisions, enough Democrats are expected to join him to clear the critical 60-vote threshold. Without congressional action, a government shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Republicans pressured Democrats to back the bill, branding the potential crisis a “Schumer shutdown.” Trump himself claimed that even Democrats would bear responsibility for the fallout, which would furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers while maintaining essential services. With Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) opposed, at least eight Democratic votes are required for passage.
House Democrats and progressives pushed for a 30-day extension to negotiate a comprehensive spending bill, but the GOP-controlled Senate dismissed it. Some Democrats slammed the idea as political theater. “Total theater is neither honest with constituents nor a winning approach,” Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) posted on X, saying he would back the GOP plan. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) urged senators to reject it, warning, “People will not forget it.”
While Senate Democrats widely opposed the bill—Sens. Mark Warner (D., Va.), Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), Ruben Gallego (D., Ariz.), and Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.) among them—some remained undecided. A key issue for Democrats was the omission of a funding report that could help defend government programs in court.
Meanwhile, federal agencies are already downsizing. The Education Department announced staffing cuts of nearly 50%, the VA is planning to slash 70,000 jobs, and the Social Security Administration is tightening budgets—moves that Democrats fear will disrupt critical services.
The GOP-backed resolution would maintain funding at last year’s levels but cut $13 billion in nondefense spending while increasing military funding by $6 billion. It also slashes another $20.2 billion from IRS tax enforcement, nearly reversing the gains from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and forces Washington, D.C., to implement over $1 billion in budget cuts.
Despite fierce Democratic opposition, the bill appears poised to pass—averting a shutdown but leaving deep political divisions in its wake.