Senate Democrats are grappling with whether or not to support a House GOP funding patch less than three days before a possible government shutdown.
With 52 Republicans expected to back the House-passed stopgap, eight Democrats would need to help advance it to a final Senate vote. So far only one — Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania — has indicated he’ll support it. Other key swing voters are on the fence.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told reporters Wednesday that he remains undecided on the seven-month funding bill, which passed the House mostly along party lines Tuesday. Asked when he would make a decision, he quipped he’d make up his mind before the end of the Senate vote on the bill, which hasn’t yet been scheduled.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) also didn’t rule out voting for the bill during a brief interview but said that he’s in talks with leadership about trying to get amendment votes to make changes to the legislation.
“We need to try to get some amendments to make it better,” he said.
The lingering indecision comes as Senate Democrats plan to meet Wednesday afternoon for a closed-door lunch where they are expected to discuss their strategy ahead of the Friday midnight shutdown deadline. They face growing pressure from the left flank of their party to oppose the House bill, but it’s not clear any Plan B could pass in time to avoid a shutdown. House GOP leaders adjourned the chamber Tuesday night, with members not due to return to Washington until March 24.
Democrats are privately wrestling with a politically treacherous choice: They don’t want to be blamed for a shutdown and typically eschew brinkmanship politics. And while they don’t want to risk further empowering President Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk as they slash the federal government, some within the caucus are worried that allowing a government shutdown would only play into the two men’s hands.
One Senate Democrat said Wednesday he will not help pass the bill.
“I do not want to shut down our government, I want to improve it, streamline it and ensure it delivers services our communities need,” Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said in a statement.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, joined a chorus of progressives publicly urging Senate Democrats to unite against the bill. She made clear that their opposition should include the 60-vote threshold procedural vote for breaking a filibuster.
“People aren’t going to be tricked with procedural games. They know exactly what is going on,” she wrote in an online post.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans made it clear on Wednesday that they are gearing up to blame Democrats — and specifically Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — if there is a shutdown. Democrats have tried to put the onus on Republicans to come up with a funding plan that could pass both chambers given that they control Congress and the White House.
“We’re about to find out whether Senate Democrats care more about the American people or putting on a dramatic act for their base. Let’s hope we can avoid the Schumer Shut Down,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the No. 3 Senate Republican, wrote as part of a series of tweets on government funding.
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