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Senate Approves Short-Term Funding Bill to Avert Shutdown
The Senate decisively voted mostly along party lines on Friday afternoon, passing a bill initially drafted by House Republicans to fund the government until September. This late action successfully averted a potential government shutdown just hours before funding was set to lapse.
President Trump is anticipated to sign the legislation into law promptly.
The final Senate vote concluded at 54-46, with two Democrats crossing party lines to support the measure: Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who is concluding her term, and Angus King, an independent from Maine who aligns with the Democratic caucus. Notably, Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky cast his vote against the bill.
With the passage of this funding bill, Congress will sidestep another contentious funding battle until the fall, allowing Republicans to concentrate on advancing President Trump’s policy objectives, which include enhancing border security funding and extending provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
This spending package narrowly cleared the House earlier in the week with a slim majority of 217-213 votes, garnering support from only one Democrat.
The proposal sparked intense debate within the Senate Democratic caucus, mainly due to the complete absence of Democratic input during its crafting in the House.
The approved legislation allocates an increase of $6 billion for defense spending and boosts funding for border enforcement while slashing non-defense spending by $13 billion.
Controversially, the bill does not incorporate provisions directing the Trump administration on the allocation of funds, raising concerns among Democrats. Some lawmakers cautioned that this could permit Trump and his aides to prioritize funding according to their interests, bypassing legislative intent.
Prominent Senate Democrats, including Patty Murray of Washington and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, expressed strong opposition to the House bill, advocating instead for a straightforward 30-day funding extension.
In an interview, Merkley expressed his staunch disapproval, labeling the House bill as fundamentally unacceptable. He argued against surrendering to what he described as bullying tactics, asserting that capitulating to such pressures only empowers individuals like Trump and other political figures.
Progressive leaders, including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, joined the opposition, mobilizing activists within their party to challenge the House-transmitted bill.
The only supportive voice from the Democratic side was centrist Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, who warned of the chaotic repercussions a shutdown could create, including the risk of pushing the nation toward recession.
Throughout the week, Senate Democrats engaged in extensive deliberations, culminating in impassioned discussions that echoed through the chamber. With Republicans holding 53 seats, the party required at least eight Democratic votes to bypass a filibuster, especially since Paul had declared his opposition early in the process.
Traditionally, bills that invite controversy must achieve a 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster.
Following the passage of their funding bill, House Republicans indicated they would not return to the capital before the impending deadline, thereby heightening pressure on Senate Democrats. It soon became clear that blocking the House bill could precipitate a government shutdown.
The bill appeared to be on shaky ground until Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer decided to support its advancement. While acknowledging that the House-borne legislation was far from ideal, Schumer noted that the ramifications of a shutdown would be far graver.
He warned that a shutdown would grant Trump and Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, unchecked power to dismantle essential government services at an accelerated pace.
When asked about efforts to introduce a clean 30-day funding extension, Schumer remarked that those attempts had failed to garner any Republican backing.
This shift in support from Schumer prompted significant backlash from several liberal Democrats. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York characterized his decision as a complete betrayal, expressing widespread disappointment across the party’s spectrum.
Following Schumer’s announcement, Ocasio-Cortez articulated a pervasive feeling of anger among progressives and moderates alike. She emphasized the challenges faced by House Democrats in districts that had leaned towards Trump in the 2024 elections, calling their difficult votes on the funding bill commendable.
Conversely, Fetterman defended his stance against Ocasio-Cortez’s criticisms, questioning her approach and highlighting a lack of practical solutions to the potential fallout of a government shutdown. He emphasized the significance of considering the millions of Americans who would be adversely affected by a prolonged closure.
With Schumer’s alignment, eight other Democrats joined forces to move the bill forward. These included Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Shaheen, and Fetterman, along with King.
Prior to the final vote, the Senate reviewed and dismissed various amendments. One proposed by Senator Tammy Duckworth aimed to rehire veterans terminated from federal positions during the Trump years. Another, sponsored by Senator Chris Van Hollen, sought to abolish the Department of Government Efficiency, while a third suggested countering the cuts to IRS tax enforcement funding. An additional amendment proposed by Paul sought to formalize the cuts to foreign assistance recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency.
Each of these amendments was rejected by Senate Republicans, and a bipartisan coalition defeated Paul’s proposal. Any amendments to the bill could have necessitated returning it to the House for approval, further delaying the funding beyond the critical deadline.
Source
thehill.com