Senate Democrats Divided as Government Shutdown Deadline Approaches

WASHINGTON — Tensions escalated among Senate Democrats Thursday during a private lunch on Capitol Hill as the party grapples with a looming government shutdown. Amid growing dissent over a House-passed stopgap spending bill, a voice identified as Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was overheard screaming during the heated discussion.

The Democrats are split on whether to advance the Republican-backed continuing resolution (CR) aimed at funding the government until October. While some senators show openness to support the measure, others remain staunchly opposed, risking potential funding lapses.

A Democratic source who requested anonymity mentioned, “They’ve been debating what to do, and there are people who feel strongly on both sides.” This conflict follows a series of lengthy caucus meetings in recent days.

By Thursday afternoon, several lawmakers, including Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., publicly indicated their opposition to the CR through social media videos. “This is a shutdown bill that’s bad for the economy — let Trump shut down whatever he wants,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., highlighting the urgency of their decision.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., criticized his colleagues’ reluctance to support the CR, saying, “I don’t know if they’ll do it or not,” and lamented about their previous stance against government shutdowns. “It wasn’t that long ago before we lectured that you can never shut the government down. So that’s kind of inconsistent,” he said.

Similarly, Gillibrand was reminded of her previous statements decrying government shutdowns, which she claimed risked leaving low-income families and children without necessary support. “If this shutdown continues indefinitely, 39 million Americans will risk not having enough food,” she stated previously.

Administrative proposals have further complicated the situation. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., stated he has “significant problems” with the CR, warning that “things could actually get worse” under its provisions. He reiterated his commitment to oppose any measure that provides unfettered authority to former President Donald Trump.

Despite the general discontent, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced his support for the CR to avoid adverse impacts on constituents. “We can all agree that it’s not a great CR, but that’s where we are and that’s the choice,” he remarked.

As lawmakers faced criticism from both sides, Schumer attempted to consolidate the party’s position, calling for unity among Democrats to support a clean extension of the CR to facilitate negotiations. “Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass,” Schumer stated.

Time is of the essence as a government shutdown looms, with the deadline approaching at midnight Friday. If an agreement is not reached, it will affect vital government services and employees nationwide.

The ongoing discord presents a challenging climate for Democratic leaders, who must navigate party divisions while upholding their legislative responsibilities against a backdrop of political maneuvers.