Ahead of Shutdown Deadline, Democrats Face a Dilemma on Spending

The New York Times ^ | July 25, 2025, 3:00 a.m. ET | Catie Edmondson and Carl Hulse

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Democrats are leery of supporting Republican spending measures after the White House forced through clawbacks of funding already approved by Congress.

With a government funding deadline looming in September, Democrats face the same quandary that dogged them earlier this year: Should they cut a spending deal with an administration that has routinely undermined Congress’s power of the purse, or filibuster their way into a shutdown?

Back in March, Democrats agonized for days over whether to supply the votes needed to allow a G.O.P.-written stopgap spending measure to move ahead. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, and nine other members of his caucus ultimately voted to let it advance, arguing that a shutdown would only empower Mr. Trump to tighten his grip on federal agencies and unilaterally decide what money to spend.

But that led to an intense backlash from Democratic voters, activists and lawmakers, who accused Mr. Schumer of squandering an opportunity to challenge Mr. Trump. That has soured Democrats’ appetite for voting for Republican funding bills at a time when they are already outraged at the president’s escalating campaign to undercut congressional spending authority.

Republicans pushed through legislation this month to claw back $9 billion in congressionally approved spending, acceding to Mr. Trump’s request over unanimous Democratic opposition. The White House has signaled that it plans to send a second such package to Capitol Hill in the near future.

“It is no secret the path to advancing more of our bills is going to be harder because of the unprecedented, partisan rescissions bill that Republicans just passed,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. “It is extremely frustrating to see so many of the colleagues that have worked with us to pass funding bills turn around and vote to rip...”

[MNJohnnie]

Straight up lie by the NY Times. President Trump has acted wholly with in his Presidential powers

Should they cut a spending deal with an administration that has routinely undermined Congress’s power of the purse

[pgyanke]

No more spending deals. Start the budget process now and pass constitutional appropriations.

[grumpygresh]

If there’s a shutdown, the GOP will simply pass bills that open popular non-essential services.
If the Dems want to continue their policy of total non cooperation, a lot of the non essential and unpopular government programs could be shut down for a while.
Unfortunately these employees always get backpay by law.

[Liz]

Over unanimous Democratic opposition, Republicans pushed through legislation to claw back $9 billion in Biden-era congressionally approved spending, much of which went into the pockets of Democrats and Biden cronies.

Some of the craven recipient Dems had to hustle to form
do-nothing "non-profits" to pocket the Biden billions

The White House has signaled that it plans to send a
second clawback package to Capitol Hill in the near future.

[ridesthemiles]

“THE PARTY’S OVER”

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS

[Owen]

The Democrats have nothing to lose by choosing to filibuster GOP appropriations bills, or indeed, another CR.

The media will support whatever position they take. The 60 vote requirement will prevent the GOP from forcing its spending decisions forward.

The nuclear option? Over something this trivial? When they come to power then would then be free to move forward with bare majorities over potentially hugely important legislation, that they could not have with the 60 vote requirement intact.

The 60 vote issue is CONSERVATIVE. It is an obstacle to passing laws, and passing laws is an intrusion by government into life. This is the opposite of conservative, so ANY obstacles to law making are conservative.