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The Senate on Friday night passed a Republican-led stopgap funding bill to keep the government open, following intense debate among Democrats over whether to allow the measure to pass or risk a government shutdown.
The measure cleared the Senate in a 54-46 vote, with one Republican opposing it and two Democrats supporting final passage. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature ahead of the midnight funding deadline.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who had previously vowed to oppose the bill, ultimately reluctantly supported it, arguing that a government shutdown would hand Trump even more power.
“For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option,” Schumer said. “But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.”
Democrats Split Over Support for GOP Bill
Schumer’s decision to back the measure provided political cover for other Senate Democrats to follow suit. He was joined by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Angus King (I-Maine) in voting to advance the bill.
However, on final passage, only Shaheen and King voted yes, while others who had supported the procedural vote opposed it.
On the Republican side, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the sole GOP senator to vote against the measure, citing concerns over federal spending.
What’s in the Stopgap Bill?
The House passed the bill earlier this week, sending it to the Senate with a mix of increased defense spending and cuts to domestic programs:
- Defense spending increased
- Non-defense spending reduced below 2024 levels
- Cuts to medical research, housing programs, and D.C.’s local government spending
- Additional funding for nutrition assistance programs
House and Senate Democrats strongly opposed the measure, criticizing the cuts and the broader implications of allowing Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to implement cost-cutting policies.
Progressive Backlash: “A Huge Slap in the Face”
Progressives, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), blasted Schumer’s decision to back the bill.
“What voting for the CR does is that it codifies the chaos and the reckless cuts that Elon Musk has been pursuing,”Ocasio-Cortez said, referring to Musk’s influence over federal spending decisions through DOGE.
She accused Democrats who supported the bill of enabling tax cuts for billionaires at the expense of working families.
Schumer’s Strategy: Mitigate Shutdown Fallout
Despite internal party divisions, Schumer argued that Democrats needed to keep the focus on Republican-driven economic harm rather than on the administration’s shutdown tactics.
“The message is beginning to work,” Schumer told reporters, suggesting that public backlash over GOP spending cuts could benefit Democrats in future negotiations.
House Democrats Condemn the Bill
House Democratic leaders returned to the Capitol on Friday to express their frustration, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) calling the situation an “unprecedented disaster”.
“We’ve been very clear: we strongly oppose the reckless Republican spending bill,” Jeffries said.
Despite their objections, the House had already adjourned, making passage of an alternative short-term funding measure impossible.
What’s Next?
With the stopgap measure now heading to Trump’s desk, the focus will shift to long-term government funding negotiations. Democrats are expected to push for restoring domestic funding cuts while Republicans remain committed to their cost-reduction strategy.
The bill’s passage avoids a government shutdown for now, but the broader battle over federal spending and executive power is far from over.
