Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) maintained that Democrats would not provide the votes needed to approve the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) ahead of tomorrow’s midnight government funding deadline. The chances of a shutdown increased after Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly (D) and Ruben Gallego (D) joined the ranks of Senate Democrats who say they will oppose not only final passage of the House-passed CR, but also invoking cloture on the bill. Democrats insist that lawmakers should instead vote for a one-month CR that allows time for Congress to finish full-year appropriations bills.
Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) made clear that he is open to giving Democrats an amendment vote on a month-long stopgap funding bill in exchange for votes to help Republicans get cloture on the House-passed CR to avoid a shutdown. Thune also blamed Democrats for a potential shutdown, saying it was time for Schumer “to acknowledge that it’s his decisions that put us here” by refusing to consider individual appropriations bills last Congress. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) also reportedly wants to force the Senate to vote on codifying President Trump’s cuts to foreign aid, a potential hitch for Republican leaders who are seeking to blame Democrats for a shutdown.