Despite labeling the six-month government funding bill passed by the GOP-led House as a ‘horrible’ piece of legislation, Senate Democrats say they are unlikely to block it. With a government shutdown looming, many feel they have little choice but to reluctantly support the bill, fearing the chaos that would come from a shutdown.
The House passed the bill Tuesday afternoon, with a vote of 217-213, with only one Democrat in favor. The bill increases defense spending by $6 billion, boosts border security, and cuts non-defense programs by $13 billion. Senate Democrats, especially those from swing states, have been locked in fierce internal debates about how to handle the bill.
Several centrists in the Senate have expressed their concerns about the consequences of a shutdown. They argue that defeating the House bill would have no clear resolution and could drag on into weeks of uncertainty. Democrats know that Republicans control 53 seats in the Senate, and without at least eight Democratic votes, the bill would not clear the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.
“I’ve been very clear: I’m not going [to] vote or withhold my vote that’s going to shut down the government,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said, stressing that he will vote to keep the government open despite his disagreements with the bill.
Fetterman warned that any effort by Democrats to reject the bill could lead to serious consequences. “If the Democrats think that they want to burn the village down to save it, that’s terrible optics and that’s going to have serious impacts for millions and millions of people,” he said. “I’m never going to vote for that kind of chaos.”
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, added his own concerns about the potential fallout from a shutdown. King pointed to tech billionaire Elon Musk, who supports President Trump’s efforts to downsize the government, warning that a shutdown could give Musk more leverage to push federal workers into early retirement.
“We’re dealing with people—many of whom I suspect think a shutdown would be a good thing, and they could prolong it and use it to expand the president’s power even beyond what they’re already considering. So that’s something that has to be considered. This isn’t normal,” King said.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) echoed these fears, saying that Democrats have limited leverage to shape the funding resolution. “Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. They’re already shutting down parts of the government. I’m really concerned about that,” Kelly said.
The debate among Senate Democrats grew heated, with members spending more than an hour discussing their options at their weekly caucus meeting. A lawmaker who spoke anonymously revealed that there is still no clear strategy on how to proceed. Many Democrats are worried that if they vote against the bill, they will be blamed for a shutdown.
“The CR is a terrible bill … but a shutdown has terrible consequences,” the lawmaker said. “Elon Musk is trying to shut down the government. If we shut down the government, it takes the blame away from him and puts the blame on us for chaos and confusion.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) did not comment on the private discussions but made light of the lengthy meeting, joking that it was due to the “good food.”
With the government funding set to run out at midnight on Saturday, Senate Republicans are pushing for immediate action. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) warned Democrats that if they block the bill, they will be solely responsible for any resulting shutdown.
“Without action from Congress, the government will run out of funding come Friday,” Thune said. “Here we are on the brink of a government shutdown, which will be entirely of the Democrats’ making if it happens.”
Despite the criticism from some Democrats, the House-passed bill has been widely denounced. Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) called it a “dumpster fire” on the Senate floor, warning that it would cut vital programs like flood protection and critical health research.
“This bill is House Republicans’ own doing—and it is a dumpster fire,” Murray said. “We need to pass a short-term resolution to give us a few more weeks to reach a deal on a real spending package.”
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), whose state is home to 140,000 federal workers, also slammed the bill, particularly for its cuts to veteran programs and food safety initiatives during a time of heightened health risks.
“It’s a bad bill. I can’t imagine why Republicans would be signing up for a bill that slashes VA construction and food safety. We’ve got an avian flu epidemic,” Kaine said.
Despite the widespread criticism, some vulnerable Democrats have refrained from announcing how they will vote. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who faces reelection next year, said he would wait to assess the bill’s impact on his state before making a decision.
“We will see what comes out of the House, and I will carefully assess what I think is in my state’s and the nation’s best interests,” Ossoff said.
As Senate Democrats continue to weigh their options, the pressure is mounting. The stakes could not be higher for the party as they struggle to find a way forward. The decision to support a bill they deem deeply flawed may be a reluctant but necessary move to avoid chaos and uncertainty for millions of Americans.
