Shutdown averted after Schumer caves and backs Trump spending bill

A government shutdown was averted just hours before the Friday 11:59 p.m. deadline after enough Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., helped Republicans defeat the filibuster. 

Senators voted 54-46 to pass the stopgap spending bill, which only needed 51 votes to be approved. Nearly all Republicans backed the measure, with only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opposing. All Democrats opposed it, with the exception of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats, also voted to pass the bill.

It now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature. 

The Senate earlier took a key procedural vote on a stopgap spending bill, which needed to meet a 60-vote threshold to move forward, also known as the legislative filibuster. 

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House Republicans passed the short-term bill, called a continuing resolution, earlier in the week. The bill will keep spending levels the same as fiscal year (FY) 2024 until Oct. 1. 

If a spending bill was not passed by the Friday deadline, the government would enter into a partial shutdown.

During a partial government shutdown, federal agencies and non-essential services would be halted. However, government functions deemed “essential” would continue. National security protocols, such as border patrol, law enforcement and disaster response, stay active during shutdowns, for example. 

The Friday evening vote to pass the six-month CR came after a critical procedural vote earlier in the afternoon. A handful of Senate Democrats provided the Republican majority with the necessary votes to overcome the filibuster and move forward with the stopgap spending bill. 

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Deep divisions emerged within the Democratic Party over the past couple of days, with even House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., refusing to answer questions about whether he had confidence in Schumer. 

In one of several Senate caucus meetings, a senator yelled loud enough that it was heard outside of heavy, thick wooden doors. The voice was identified by the press as belonging to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., but her office would not confirm. 

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Prior to its passage, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., criticized his fellow Democrats for their planned “no” votes that risked a government shutdown. 

“It wasn’t that long ago before we were lecturing that you can never shut the government down. So, that’s kind of inconsistent,” he told reporters on Thursday.

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Ahead of the final vote, 10 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans to overcome the legislative filibuster. Those senators were Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

The senators managed to beat the 60-vote threshold, with an ultimate margin of 62-38.