The US Senate passed a six-month GOP funding bill by a vote of 54-46, overcoming strong Democratic opposition and preventing a government shutdown. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump for signing into law.
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen was the only Democrat to vote in favor, while Senator Rand Paul was the sole Republican to vote against it. Earlier, nine Democratic senators, including John Fetterman, Brian Schatz, and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted to advance the bill, ensuring it cleared the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Schumer’s reversal of his previous opposition to the bill sparked outrage among the Democratic base.
Critics of the bill argue it lacks clear guidelines on spending, potentially allowing further cuts to the Trump administration’s budget. Schumer, however, warned that a government shutdown would grant Trump even more power, referring to it as a “far worse option” than passing the bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi also opposed the bill, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling Schumer’s decision a “tremendous mistake.” Some Democrats also objected to the bill’s proposed $1 billion cut to Washington, DC’s budget.
