Senate Set to Advance Bill to Avert Shutdown

The New York Times ^ | March 14, 2025 Updated 5:05 p.m. ET | Catie Edmondson

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Senate is voting to advance a Republican-written stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown at midnight, with enough Democrats joining Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, in voting with Republicans to push it past any filibuster by his own party.

Republicans needed eight Democrats to join them in voting to allow the bill to advance.

If the Senate fails to pass the funding extension in a vote later in the day, federal funding will lapse at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday.

Mr. Schumer’s abrupt decision on Thursday to reverse himself and allow the spending legislation to advance stunned many of his colleagues and angered many Democratic lawmakers and progressive activists. Many in his party have vociferously opposed the temporary spending measure, arguing that it was a capitulation to President Trump, and have said that they would rather shut the government down than vote for it.

As recently as Wednesday, Mr. Schumer was arguing strongly against the bill, instead proposing a monthlong alternative to allow Congress to reach an agreement on individual spending measures with specific instructions over how federal funding should be doled out.

But he reversed course on Thursday, with a shutdown looming and amid concerns that Democrats would be blamed. He argued that a shutdown would only play into the hands of Mr. Trump and Elon Musk, ceding more power to them as they move to defund and dismantle whole swaths of the federal government. In that scenario, he said, the Trump administration could decide which federal workers would be “nonessential” and furloughed. And he warned that Republicans would have little incentive to reopen the government once it shut down.

“As bad as the C.R. is,” Mr. Schumer said on Friday morning, referring to the bill known as a continuing resolution, “I believe that allowing President Trump to take more...”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“As bad as the C.R. is,” Mr. Schumer said on Friday morning, referring to the bill known as a continuing resolution, “I believe that allowing President Trump to take more power is a far worse option.”

Be afraid, Chuck.

Be very afraid.

[spokeshave]

angered many Democratic lawmakers and progressive activists and communists.

Schadenfreude.

[cgbg]

Cloture vote passed 62 to 38.

[Enterprise]

It’s not like the good old days when a Democrat President threatened to shut off Social Security checks if the CR wasn’t passed. Trump has better ideas on what to shut down.

[Texas Eagle]

Whatever happened to the appropriations process?

[Sacajaweau]

Like the schools with their...no sports edict...

[Captain Peter Blood]

When was the last time a real budget was originated in the House and passed by the Senate?

[Reily]

At least 30 years ago!

[Reily]

At least 30 years ago!

[SaxxonWoods]

“When was the last time a real budget was originated in the House and passed by the Senate?”

“In summary, the last time the Congress passed a budget on time was in 2019 with the Bipartisan Budget Act.”

-GB Times

[Enterprise]

Just a bunch of blackmailing bullies.

[drop 50 and fire for effect]

Whatever happened to the appropriations process?

It’s still there, this continuing resolution is an appropriation. The issue is partly political, but really structural. The Budget Control Act of 1974 was designed to remove the “smoke filled rooms” of the precious budget and appropriations process. However, it has created a process that cannot be completed in the time available. The timelines do not support contentious debate and the time needed to reach comprises that can pass both the House and Senate.

Unless everyone agrees, you cannot pass a Budget and the 13 Appropriations Bills within the time allotted each year.

[blackdog]

That wasn’t regular order. It was omnibus budgeting.

[Deo volente]

Chucky humbled, and it’s about time.
The Dems have no idea how to deal with President Trump.

Keep the winning coming and don’t let up!