Chuck Schumer says he won't block Republican funding bill amid Democratic divisions over shutdown strategy
WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N
WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., indicated Thursday he would vote to advance Republicans’ six-month funding bill that passed the House to avert a government shutdown Friday night.
The move is a major concession from Schumer, yielding to the GOP measure just one day after he vowed that Democrats wouldn’t allow it to pass. It means the bill is likely to find enough votes to clear the 60-vote threshold and eventually pass with a simple majority, even as a growing number of Senate Democrats came out in opposition to it Thursday.
“There are no winners in a government shutdown,” Schumer said in a floor speech. “It’s not really a decision; it’s a Hobson’s choice: Either proceed with the bill before us or risk Donald Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown.
“For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option. It is not a clean CR [continuing resolution]. It is deeply partisan. It doesn’t address far too many of this country’s needs. But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option,” he added. “I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.”
Schumer informed his colleagues in a closed-door meeting that he would vote for the procedural motion to advance the funding bill when it comes to the Senate floor Friday, according to a source familiar with his remarks. The New York Times first reported Schumer’s private comments.
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