Senate Democrats chose to keep the government shuttered six days into a shutdown that has no end in sight.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the majority of his caucus rejected a bipartisan spending bill Monday evening to reopen the government for the fifth time. The same three Democratic caucus members joined Republicans to back the House-passed bill, but no other lawmakers have been willing to cross Schumer, leaving the measure short of reaching the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
Far-left activist groups are reportedly engaged in a concerted pressure campaign to persuade Democratic lawmakers and those who caucus with Schumer to oppose the clean spending bill that would fund the government through Nov. 21.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and independent Maine Sen. Angus King — the trio who are backing the Republicans’ funding measure — are also facing criticism by some advocacy groups for crossing party lines.
Their votes in favor of the bipartisan spending bill have notably weakened Schumer’s claim that Democrats are united in their strategy to reject a funding measure until Republicans agree to various policy demands.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been adamant that Republicans will not negotiate unrelated policy until Schumer supplies the votes to reopen the government.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul continues to be the lone GOP lawmaker to vote against the House-passed spending bill, arguing the measure fails to cut spending.
Cortez Masto’s advocacy for avoiding a government shutdown has earned her praise from industry stakeholders. Prominent business and labor groups from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have called on senators to fund the government.
“We’re happy with the way [Cortez Masto] voted,” said Vince Saavedra, executive secretary and treasurer at the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union, as quoted by Politico.
King has justified voting for the bipartisan spending bill, citing his fear that shutting down the government would be “giving Donald Trump more power.” Members of the Democratic caucus have widely criticized the president for floating mass layoffs of federal workers and eliminating certain government programs during the funding lapse.
Administration officials have argued, however, that Trump will have no choice but to reduce the size of government due to the prolonged shutdown.
A long-term funding lapse could have far-reaching consequences for certain Americans who rely on a federal paycheck or certain government programs.
Active-duty service members, border patrol agents and air traffic controllers — among other federal employees — are reporting to work without the expectation they will receive a timely paycheck. Federal nutrition programs and some healthcare services have lapsed due to the shutdown or are in danger of running out of funding.
“Democrats own this,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the Senate floor Monday. “They own any lapse in funding for critical food aid programs, just as they own every other negative effect of this shutdown.”
“For the sake of the American people, I hope at least a few more Democrats will join us to pass this clean, nonpartisan CR and let the Senate get back to work,” Thune added.
Sarah Steely, the director of No Kids Hungry Virginia, said the shutdown will impact “new mothers, babies, young children, who use that money to buy things like formula and fresh produce.”
“This could be serious the longer the shutdown goes on,” Steely said.
