WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer advanced a House-passed six-month government funding bill despite the strong opposition of many Democrats.
The Senate ultimately voted 54-46 to pass the funding bill. It now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.
On the final vote to pass the bill, all Republicans except Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul voted in favor of the measure. Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Angus King of Maine joined Republicans in supporting the bill’s passage. All other Democrats opposed it.
Schumer’s actions provoked strong reactions from across the Democratic Party.
Schumer’s comments Friday
“Cleary, this is a Hobson’s choice. The CR is a bad bill. But as bad as the CR is, I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option. A shutdown would allow DOGE to shift into overdrive. It would give Donald Trump and DOGE the keys to the city, state, and country.
“If government were to shut down, DOGE has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction. In a shutdown, American families would be hurt in ways they almost never have been.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi
Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, a former speaker of the House, broke with Schumer in encouraging lawmakers to follow the House Democratic lead and vote “no” on the continuing resolution.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America. Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill.
“Democratic senators should listen to the women. Appropriations leaders Rosa DeLauro and Patty Murray have eloquently presented the case that we must have a better choice: a four-week funding extension to keep government open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement. America has experienced a Trump shutdown before, but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, for The People.
Sen. John Fetterman
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania agreed with Schumer on Friday, telling reporters that shutting the government down would be a “f—— disaster” and that Democrats are “bringing casserole to a knife fight.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, argued the bill would “literally take food out of the mouths of hungry children, take healthcare away from seniors, and give a huge tax break to the wealthiest people on the planet.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said the House bill gives Trump and Musk “a blank check to spend your taxpayer money however they want.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley
Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon called the House Republican plan “horrific.”
Sen. Patty Murray
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the House bill a “dumpster fire.”
Sen. Martin Heinrich
“I think where we’re truly united is around the economy, and this was the inside baseball fight in our own party,” Heinrich said. “We have to figure out where are the places where we can actually unite, and I think the economy is the obvious answer to that, but we also need to figure out how to use our leverage. And that’s why I voted against the CR.”
Added Heinrich: “It wasn’t actually a CR, it was a power grab, and we we need to not give up our power, especially under this presidency.”
On Schumer, he said “second guessing” the leader isn’t going to “accomplish the kind of unity that we’re going to need to be able to stand up to the President.”
Sen. Mark Warner
Warner voted no for the continuing resolution, but said he still has faith in Schumer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.