WASHINGTON: The Senate has passed a six-month spending bill just hours before a government shutdown, overcoming strong opposition from Democrats. The bill now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The vote, which was largely along party lines at 54-46, highlighted the frustration among Democrats over how to deal with the Trump administration. Many were concerned about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) firing federal workers and reducing government operations.
Democrats debated whether to oppose the bill, even if it meant risking a shutdown. They were upset that Republicans drafted the measure with little Democratic input, reducing funding for healthcare, housing, and other important areas. In the end, enough Democrats decided that a shutdown would be worse and supported Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s plan to allow the bill to pass.
"A shutdown will allow DOGE to shift into overdrive," Schumer said. "Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate."
Democrats faced two difficult choices: either pass a bill that gives Trump significant control over spending or vote against it and let a government shutdown happen. Ten Democrats voted to break the party’s filibuster. On the final vote, two Democrats supported the bill, while one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, opposed it.
Schumer initially allowed members of his party to express their frustration but later decided against a shutdown, which angered many Democrats who wanted to fight against Trump’s policies. However, his decision gave Democratic senators room to vote with Republicans and let the bill move forward.
House Democrats made a last-minute effort to block the bill, sending letters, posting on social media, and holding press conferences. "The American people sent Democrats to Congress to fight against Republican dysfunction and chaos," said a letter from 66 House Democrats to Schumer.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and his team rushed back to Capitol Hill, urging senators to reject the bill and demand a fair compromise. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi called the bill "unacceptable." Some Democrats also believed that Republicans would be blamed for a shutdown since they controlled Congress and the White House.
"If you refuse to put forward an offer that includes any Democratic input and you do not get Democratic votes, that is on Republicans," said Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Surprisingly, Trump supported Schumer’s decision. "Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing — Took guts and courage!" the president posted on social media.
Congress Passes Short-Term Spending Bill to Avoid Shutdown
Congress has struggled to pass annual budget bills, relying instead on short-term extensions. This is the third such continuing resolution (CR) for the current fiscal year, which is already halfway over. The bill funds the government through September, reducing non-defense spending by $13 billion while increasing defense spending by $6 billion. These changes are small in comparison to the overall budget of nearly $1.7 trillion.
The Republican-led House passed the bill on Tuesday before adjourning, leaving senators with no choice but to accept it or let the government shut down. While Democrats wanted another short-term extension, Republican leaders rejected the idea. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans argued that Democrats would be blamed for a shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats for opposing the bill.
"Shamefully, 99 percent of Democrats in Congress voted to shut down the government — simply because they seem to hate President Trump more than they love America," Johnson said.
Some House Democrats were angry with their Senate colleagues after the vote. "The constituents I represent need Democrats to stand up to this rogue administration," said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada. "What they got from Senate Democrats today was capitulation instead."
Schumer defended his decision, arguing that a shutdown would give Trump more power to decide which government agencies and workers are essential, leading to more job losses. Many Democrats were frustrated that the bill gives the Trump administration too much control over spending decisions, calling it a "blank check" for the president.
Spending bills usually include detailed instructions on how the money should be used, but this CR removes many of those restrictions. A Democratic memo warned that the administration could redirect funds away from fighting fentanyl and instead use them for mass deportation efforts.
Several amendments to the bill failed, but one proposal to cut funding for DOGE gained support from a Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
The spending bill is separate from another Republican effort to extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term while making spending cuts in other areas. That second package will be debated in the coming months, but some Democrats fear it will be another major blow.
"You are looking at a one-two punch, a very bad CR, then a reconciliation bill coming down, which will be the final kick in the teeth for the American people," said Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas criticized Democrats for considering a shutdown just to protect government funding. "Democrats are fighting to withhold the paychecks of air traffic controllers, our troops, federal custodial staff," Cotton said. "They cannot be serious."
In a separate move, senators unanimously approved a bill to fix a problem in the spending package that would have forced the District of Columbia to revert to 2024 budget levels, cutting $1.1 billion. The new bill allows DC to maintain 2025 spending levels and now heads to the House for approval.