Senate Democrats Divided Over GOP Spending Bill as Shutdown Looms

Chuck Schumer backs GOP-led funding bill to avert government shutdown, sparking internal party tensions.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced his support for a Republican-crafted continuing resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown, citing the risks of giving the Trump administration unchecked authority during a shutdown.
The GOP's 99-page CR, passed narrowly in the House, funds the government through September but includes cuts to programs like Washington, D.C.'s budget and lacks provisions to limit Trump and Elon Musk's restructuring of federal agencies.
Democrats remain deeply divided, with progressives and moderates criticizing Schumer's decision, arguing it undermines efforts to resist Trump’s policies and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The bill requires eight Democratic votes to overcome a Senate filibuster, with Schumer and Sen. John Fetterman publicly supporting it, while others, including Sen. Ruben Gallego, have voiced opposition over funding cuts and program impacts.
The decision has fueled tensions within the Democratic Party, with House Democrats accusing Senate leadership of caving, while Schumer argues a shutdown would cause greater harm to federal workers and essential services.