Government shutdown prospects increase after Schumer says Democrats won’t vote for GOP funding bill

The likelihood of a government shutdown increased Wednesday after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that Democrats would not provide the votes needed to approve a House-passed continuing resolution. 

Schumer posted on X that Democrats are united behind a “clean” measure that would maintain spending levels for 30 days to enable bipartisan negotiations. 

House Republicans on Tuesday passed in a mostly party-line vote legislation that would largely maintain current funding amounts for the rest of the fiscal year. If the Senate doesn’t pass the House bill or otherwise reach an agreement, a shutdown would begin after Friday.

Some Democrats have said they want to use the shutdown fight to push back against cuts across government spearheaded by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. They also argue that the House-passed CR cuts funding for nondefense programs and services by $13 billion from fiscal 2024 levels.

The House is in recess for the remainder of the week for House Democrats’ retreat, complicating any effort to avert a shutdown besides the Senate passing the House bill. 

The federal government has been operating under a CR since the last fiscal year ended on Sept. 30.