After a nail-biter cloture vote in the U.S. Senate, a government shutdown appears unlikely as Republicans’ stopgap bill now moves to a final majority vote before the midnight deadline.
Despite most Democratic senators vocally opposing the six-month Continuing Resolution, nine Democrats and one independent ultimately voted for the 99-page bill that will keep most government spending on autopilot through Sept. 30, the end of the existing fiscal year.
The 62-38 vote saw U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Angus King, I-Maine, Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., voting in favor.
“To vote on the Continuing Resolution was a difficult and close call, but ultimately, I made the determination that a flawed bill was better than no bill at all,” Schatz stated after the vote.
“[President Donald] Trump and the Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, presented us with a bad choice and a worse choice. Both would produce terrible outcomes, but a shutdown would be more devastating for everyone.”
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote no.
The CR does make some funding adjustments, including slashing $13 billion in non-defense spending, boosting defense spending by $6 billion, and adding $500 million to WIC nutrition program spending from fiscal year 2024 funding levels.
It also authorizes billions of dollars for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation efforts, veterans’ health care, and air traffic control safety priorities. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid spending would remain unchanged.
The Senate will now consider four amendments to the CR before proceeding to a final vote later today.
