Editor’s note: After this article was published, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reversed course on the funding bill. “Either proceed with the bill before us or risk Donald Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This in my view is no choice at all. While the [House bill] is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse,” Schumer said, according to Politico.
The New York Democrat added, “I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country, to minimize the harms to the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.”
The Senate was set to vote Thursday on the House’s continuing resolution to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has already called for Senate Democrats to oppose the bill as written, and instead proposed an amendment to fund the government only for 30 days.
Republican Senate leadership took aim at the Democrat senator from New York for leading the government to the brink of a fiscal crisis.
“In Senator Schumer’s last five months as majority leader, he didn’t bring a single fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill to the floor,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told The Daily Signal.
For discretionary spending, Congress ordinarily passes 12 separate appropriations bills.
“It’s time for the Democrat leader to acknowledge that it’s his decisions that put us here, and to urge his colleagues to accept the situation and vote to fund the government. If the Democrat leader has problems with the current situation, he should have funded the government when he was in charge,” Thune said.
If the Senate does not pass the continuing resolution today, then the government will enter a partial shutdown where nonessential services are paused, and nonessential staffers are furloughed. The shutdown will not affect services such as Social Security, which is separate, mandatory spending.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., told The Daily Signal that the minority leader would own the consequences of opposing the continuing funding.
“This is Schumer’s shutdown. The Democrats would rather let the government shut down than support much-needed priorities for hardworking Americans. This latest attempt to force Leader Thune’s hand is nothing more than a desperate attempt to save face,” the Montana senator said.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told The Daily Signal and other assembled reporters outside the Senate chamber that he would “be fine voting on their [the Democrats’] bill. I don’t know how the leadership feels about it.”
The North Dakota senator explained that it would be pointless to vote on the bill, however, because then it would have to be sent back to the House, and that would require House members to come back into session.
“It’s hard for me to see a world where Democrats would literally be the ones to prevent funding to the government,” Cramer said, noting that government funding comes more easily to the Democratic Party than the GOP.
Indeed, Democrat opposition to government funding is a reversal of the party’s usual preference for keeping federal spending and retaining federal personnel. Just this month, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., joined federal workers in a protest outside the Office of Management and Budget. Other Democrat senators brought fired federal workers to the president’s address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 4.
Jacob Adams is a journalism fellow at The Daily Signal.
Reprinted with Permission from The Daily Signal – By Jacob Adams
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
The Demos continue to have their tantrums but have to give way because the most Americans might finally realize who the real enemy to the nation. Democrats — keep digging that hole deeper, maybe you will get to China or make a left turn to meet the penguins in Antarctica.
Schumer is a Marxist Clown, always has been. Time for change or indictments coming for these thieves.
Shut it down. They will put all the unnecessary employees on furlough and that will make Musk’s job easier.
Does anyone else want to slap his glasses right off his face?
He looks like a complete idiot. He’s NEVER looking though them, can he even read…
Schumer is screaming the loudest for DOGE to quit looking for fraud, wonder why?
dems. it’s their way or the highway…and what a potholed road is that.
Those idiots love to blame Pres. Trump for any and everything. It’s a shame the way the Dems have ruined their party. No common sense whatsoever.
Democrats don’t give a fig for hard working American, who is blind and deaf to realize that, else he would vote with his reason not emotion. That is the only way to remove the dead beats
Went thru one of these “shutdowns” and was furloughed for a short amount of time. I had money saved and was ready for it. Didn’t impact me at all. AAMOF, operation still ran well, just a bit more “work” for those that were considered essential (I use that term loosely). And, got back pay for the days I was gone. Wasn’t right to keep the $$ since I didn’t work for it, so I donated it to a local charity.
I’ve since resigned from that position for 10yrs ago. After 5 yrs, couldn’t take the bureaucratic BS. Honestly, .gov could probably get rid of 50% of the dead weight roady civilians and not be affected at all. So much waste…..
Dumbacraps are truly the enemy of this country.
Congress does this flip flop all the time. It is part of the D.C. soap opera.
Shumar is trying get glory to publicity! He is so full of it
Schumer just got owned by President Trump, just like Zelensky of Ukraine, Shainblum of Mexico, Maduro of Venezuela, Petro of Colombia, Mulino of Panama, Macron of France, and Trudles of Canada! Who’s your Daddy now Chuckie?!!!!! The Democrat Head Clown forgot that his protege is no longer running the show, no longer his circus, not his monkeys. Schumer’s facial expression- Priceless!
Schumer has nearly always been part of the problem, and seldom (only by accident) part of the solution. Time for Schumer to resign and join Biden at the old folks’ home for the mentally deficient and impaired. He is an embarrassment to America, but then Libtards are notorious for voting and electing “Embarrassments” to Congress and other political offices at all levels.
Schmuck U SHyster is one of THE WORST politicians EVER in the US. He has spent 50 years screwing American citizens with his anti American stance, voting against US culture, laws, customs and way of life. This is what happens when we elect or appoint foreigners to important positions. Schmuck’s parets were from Estonia, I think, and got chased out by the Nazi’s. We should not have allowed them into our country due to his damahe to our country.
I don’t know how anyone can defend the democratic party.They have no common sense and no shame. They are like a bunch of clowns,but instead of making you happy they make you sad. It’s like a contest for who could be the biggest idiot !!!!!