Senate Democrats decline to back bill to avert US government shutdown

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free

Senate Democrats ruled out supporting a Republican stop-gap funding bill, bringing the US a step closer to a federal government shutdown.

Republicans narrowly pushed stop-gap legislation through the House of Representatives on Tuesday night to extend funding at current levels through to the end of September.

But Democrats indicated on Wednesday they were unwilling to provide the support needed for the bill — known as a continuing resolution — to pass the Senate before the current funding expires on Friday night.

“Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort but Republicans chose a partisan path, drafting their continuing resolution without any input from congressional Democrats,” said Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senate minority leader on Wednesday.

If the stand-off is not resolved by midnight on Friday the government will shut down, with all “non-essential” functions suspended, including national parks, environmental and food inspections and the Internal Revenue Service. Hundreds of thousands of workers could be furloughed.

It would be the first government shutdown since December 2018, when Republicans and Democrats hit an impasse over funding for Donald Trump’s border wall during his first term as president.

The House bill would extend funding at current levels until September 30, cutting some non-defence spending, while boosting it in defence and immigration enforcement.

Democrats fear handing Trump too much space to enact his agenda over the next six months and have instead proposed a one-month extension until April 11, while more comprehensive spending legislation is thrashed out by the two parties.

With the House adjourned it is unlikely lawmakers in that chamber will return before the end of the week to consider alternative legislation.

Republicans have a majority of 53 seats in the Senate to 47 for the Democrats, meaning they would need to peel off at least seven senators to secure the 60 votes “supermajority” needed to pass legislation in the chamber.

At least one Republican senator — Rand Paul of Kentucky — has indicated he will not vote for the House bill. One Democrat — John Fetterman of Pennsylvania — has said he will vote in favour.