The measure is now headed to President Donald Trump to be signed into regulation.
WASHINGTON — The Senate handed a Republican-led spending invoice Friday hours earlier than a authorities shutdown, overcoming sharp Democratic opposition to the measure and sending it to President Donald Trump to be signed into regulation.
The primarily party-line vote, 54-46, did not give the complete image of gnawing Democratic angst over the way to confront the Trump administration as its Division of Authorities Effectivity fires federal employees and dismantles operations. Democrats argued over whether or not to battle even risking a shutdown and fumed that Republicans drafted a measure that included little of their enter, shortchanging well being care, housing and different priorities.
However ultimately, sufficient of the Democratic senators determined a authorities shutdown can be even worse, and backed Senate Democratic chief Chuck Schumer’s technique to permit the invoice to return ahead.
“A shutdown will permit DOGE to shift into overdrive,” Schumer mentioned. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk can be free to destroy important authorities companies at a a lot sooner fee.”
Democrats had been confronted with two painful choices: permitting passage of a invoice they imagine offers President Donald Trump huge discretion on spending selections or voting no and letting funding lapse. All informed, 10 Democrats voted to interrupt the get together’s filibuster to advance the invoice to a ultimate vote. On ultimate passage, two Democrats supported the invoice, and one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, opposed it. It funds the federal government for one more six months.
Schumer gave members of his caucus days to vent their frustration concerning the choices earlier than them, however abruptly switched course and made clear on the eve of voting that he wouldn’t permit a authorities shutdown. His transfer outraged many within the get together who need to battle the Trump agenda, however gave senators room to aspect with Republicans and permit the persevering with decision, usually described as a CR, to advance.
Democrats from all corners seemed to strain senators to kill the invoice. Home members wrote letters, posted on social media and held press conferences within the hours earlier than the vote.
“The American individuals despatched Democrats to Congress to battle in opposition to Republican dysfunction and chaos,” mentioned a letter from 66 Home Democrats to Schumer.
Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries and his crew dashed again to the Capitol urging senators to dam the invoice and negotiate a real compromise with Republicans. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi referred to as the invoice “unacceptable.”
Some Democrats additionally argued that Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown, given they managed all of the levers of energy in Congress and the White Home.
“In the event you refuse to place ahead a proposal that features any Democratic enter and also you don’t get Democratic votes, that’s on Republicans,” mentioned Sen. Patty Murray, the highest Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In distinction, Schumer picked up one sudden nod of help — from Trump himself, who only a day earlier was gearing as much as blame Democrats for any shutdown.
“Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the correct factor — Took ‘guts’ and braveness!” the president posted on his social media account.
Congress has been unable to go the annual appropriations payments designed to fund the federal government, so that they’ve resorted to passing short-term extensions as a substitute. The laws earlier than the Senate is the third such persevering with decision for the present fiscal yr, now almost half over.
The laws would fund the federal authorities by way of the top of September. It might trim non-defense spending by about $13 billion from the earlier yr and improve protection spending by about $6 billion, that are marginal modifications when speaking a few topline spending degree of almost $1.7 trillion.
The Republican-led Home handed the spending invoice Tuesday after which adjourned. The transfer left senators with a choice to both take it or go away it. And whereas Democrats pushed for a vote on a fourth short-term extension, GOP management made clear that possibility was a non-starter.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., and others made the case that any blame for a shutdown would fall squarely on Democrats. And Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., mentioned Republicans stood collectively to get the job achieved.
In the meantime, some Home Democrats lashed out at their colleagues throughout the Capitol after the vote.
“The constituents I signify want Democrats to face as much as this rogue administration,” mentioned Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev. “What they bought from Senate Democrats in the present day was capitulation as a substitute.”
However Schumer mentioned Trump would seize extra energy throughout a shutdown, as a result of it might give the administration the power to deem entire companies, packages and personnel non-essential, furloughing employees with no promise they might ever be rehired.
Democrats had been vital of the funding ranges within the invoice. However they’re extra apprehensive concerning the discretion the invoice offers the Trump administration on spending selections. Many Democrats are referring to the measure as a “clean examine” for Trump.
Spending payments usually include particular funding directives for key packages, however a whole lot of these directives fall away underneath the persevering with decision handed by the Home. So the administration could have extra leeway to resolve the place the cash goes.
For instance, a Democratic memo mentioned the invoice would permit the administration to steer cash away from combating fentanyl and as a substitute apply it to mass deportation initiatives.
A number of amendments to the invoice failed, however one to remove funding for DOGE drew help from a Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
The spending invoice earlier than the Senate is separate from the GOP effort to increase tax cuts for people handed in Trump’s first time period and to partially pay for them with spending cuts elsewhere in authorities.
That second bundle might be developed within the months forward, however it was clearly a part of the political calculus.
“You are a one-two punch, a really unhealthy CR, then a reconciliation invoice coming down, which would be the ultimate kick within the enamel for the American individuals,” mentioned Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., mentioned the Democratic arguments for voting in opposition to the invoice had been hypocritical as a result of they had been primarily calling for shutting down the federal government to guard the federal government.
“Democrats are combating to withhold the paychecks of air site visitors controllers, our troops, federal custodial employees,” Cotton mentioned. “They cannot be severe.”
Senators additionally unanimously permitted a separate invoice to repair an sudden provision within the bundle that may require the District of Columbia to revert to 2024 finances ranges, a reduce of some $1.1 billion, though the district raises most of its personal cash. That invoice, which now goes to Home, would permit spending at 2025 ranges.
Related Press writers Leah Askarinam and Matt Brown contributed to this story from Leesburg, Va.
