Senate Democrats have boxed themselves into a corner, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is trying to slip out.
Schumer announced Wednesday afternoon that Democrats would reject a House-passed government plan to keep the government funded past the Friday deadline through the end of the fiscal year, September 30.
President Donald Trump and his administration went all-in to ensure the bill received majority support in the House Tuesday, the first major test this Congress for Trump and his legislative team.
But in the Senate, although Republicans hold a majority with 53 seats, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SC) needs 60 votes to advance the legislation.
“Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort, but Republicans chose a partisan path, drafting their continuing resolution without any input — any input — from congressional Democrats,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “Because of that, Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on the House CR.”
However, only one day before government funding lapses, Schumer is relenting to reality — Trump and Republicans hold all the cards, and Democrats have a lot to lose by gambling with shutdown politics.
