CV NEWS FEED // In a bipartisan move to prevent a government shutdown, the Senate passed a stopgap spending bill Friday night in a 67-32 vote.
The measure saw 10 Democrats joining mostly Republicans in support of the bill, while 32 Democrats opposed it. Other votes in favor came from Independents, including former Democrats who tend to vote with the Democratic Party on legislation. The measure was backed by both President Donald Trump and House GOP leadership.
The vote comes after the Republican-led House narrowly passed the bill in a 217-213 vote. CatholicVote reported March 12 that the measure “keeps federal agencies funded through September 30,” noting that “one Republican voted against it and one Democrat crossed party lines to support it.”
The passage of the bill has deepened internal divisions within the Democratic Party. Axios reported Friday that Democrats expressed frustration with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY.
“Some progressive lawmakers and activists wanted a shutdown fight to push back against spending cuts imposed by Republicans in previous negotiations,” according to Axios. “Schumer, however, defended the decision, emphasizing that a shutdown would have created economic instability.”
Trump praised Schumer’s decision, saying, “Chuck had the guts to do what was right for the country.” However, this praise has sparked backlash within Schumer’s party, with some Democrats considering primary challenges against senators who backed the bill.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-TN, who at first opposed the bill in the House, explained his changed stance on stopgap measures, saying, “It’s the first time I’ve been here… that we’ve actually voted to decrease the size of government.” He credited Trump’s influence, stating, “Leadership’s never lied to me, and Trump’s never lied to me.”
On the other hand, some Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over the spending cuts. CatholicVote quoted Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, who claimed the bill “is not a simple stop-gap that keeps the lights on and the doors open. This is Republican leadership handing over the keys of the government, and a blank check to Elon Musk and to President Trump.”
Having been approved in both chambers, the bill now heads to Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
NOTE: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that all Republican senators voted in favor of the stop-gap budget bill, when in fact Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, voted “no” on the bill. CatholicVote regrets the error.