Chuck Schumer Passes Republican Spending Plan, Sparking Backlash From Democrats

The Senate passed a Republican spending plan on Friday, preventing a U.S. government shutdown just before the midnight deadline.

The Senate passed a Republican spending plan on Friday, averting a U.S. government shutdown just ahead of the midnight deadline and sparking a heated debate within the Democratic party on how to best confront Donald Trump.

The vote was 62-38, with 10 Democrats joining nearly all Republicans in supporting the bill.

The vote came after days of speculation over whether Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer would try to rally a majority of Democrats to sink the GOP-written bill, as it slashed spending and axed programs that Democrats had been fighting to keep funded.

But with House Democrats having voted against the bill earlier this week and House leadership pushing for a short-term funding bill to buy more time for negotiations, Schumer's decision to pivot and support the bill was surprising.

It also comes amid a broader backlash against Trump from both moderate House members and progressives, who were furious that the bill largely grants Trump’s demands and cuts programs that are crucial to low-income Americans.

"I'll Take Some Of The Bullets"

"I'm prepared to take some of the bullets," Schumer told reporters on Thursday, adding that he thought a shutdown would be a "big mistake" during a time of economic fragility.

"It would give the president and Elon Musk too much power; they'd be able to decide what happens in the country. And I think they'd enjoy having too much control."

Schumer's decision to support the GOP funding bill will likely enrage House Democrats, who voted against the bill earlier this week.

House Democratic leaders, like Majority Whip Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic Conference Chairwoman Katherine Porter, had been pushing for a short-term funding bill to buy more time for negotiations.

They also argued that the GOP bill gives Trump too much leverage in upcoming negotiations and that it will drastically cut programs that are vital to lower-income Americans, and also decrease spending in Washington, D.C.

Senate Republicans, like Whip John Thune, said Democrats' failure to complete last year's budget bill, which would usually be finalized in the fall, is what led to another stopgap bill.

"It's not ideal. But it's not about what's ideal; it's about what's possible," Schumer said on Thursday, adding that he thought a shutdown would be a "big mistake."

"I think we should be prepared for the worst. A shutdown could last six to nine months and it would be very unpredictable."

What Happens Now

The decision on whether to fund the government now rests on Trump, who has the power to shut down the government if he chooses.

However, a shutdown would likely be a last resort for Trump, as it would be a major distraction from his reelection campaign and could put a strain on his already fragile relationship with Congress.

The vote to pass the bill was largely split along party lines, with 54 Republicans and 10 Democrats voting in favor and 46 Democrats and eight Republicans voting against it.

The vote came after days of intense lobbying by both sides.

House Democrats had voted against the bill earlier this week, but House leadership is expected to try again to pass a short-term funding bill in order to buy more time for negotiations.

Democrats are also planning to hold a vote on a bill to provide paid family leave, which is a key priority for House Democrats but is not included in the GOP spending plan.

The two sides are still far apart on their spending priorities, and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to reach an agreement before the midnight deadline on Friday.

If no agreement is reached by then, the government will shut down. A shutdown would furlough nearly 800,000 federal workers and could disrupt services for millions of Americans. It would also have a significant impact on the economy.

The shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday, when the current continuing resolution expires.

Congress must pass a new funding bill and send it to Trump to be signed into law by 11:59 p.m. Friday to avert a lapse in government funding.

A shutdown would occur if no bill is passed and signed by the deadline.

House Democrats voted 214-210 on Wednesday against the Republican-written bill, which provides $1.47 trillion in spending and includes a small increase in work authorization for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.

It also continues funding for Planned Parenthood and cuts spending in Washington, D.C.

But House Democrats, like Jeffries and Khanna, said the bill gives Trump too much leverage in upcoming negotiations and that it will drastically cut programs that are crucial to lower-income Americans. They added that the bill also slashes spending in Washington, D.C., which is a key priority for House Democrats.

"This bill is a disaster for the American people," Jeffries said.