As the U.S. Congress approaches its budget processing deadline on the 14th, concerns are rising over the potential for a federal government shutdown. The House of Representatives passed a Republican-led interim budget bill, but its future in the Senate remains uncertain. For the bill to pass, it needs the support of some Democratic lawmakers in addition to Republicans, yet the Democratic Party has expressed strong opposition to the bill.
The possibility of a government shutdown looms if the budget fails to pass, but some analysts suggest it would be difficult for Democrats to block the bill at the risk of triggering a shutdown. According to reports from The New York Times (NYT) and The Washington Post (WP), Democratic senators met behind closed doors on the 12th to discuss the situation. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Republicans had not secured the necessary votes for the bill’s passage. He also emphasized that the Democratic Party was united in proposing a separate temporary budget bill, which would keep the government operational for 30 days while providing time for negotiations on a longer-term, bipartisan deal.
The Republican-led interim budget, which passed the House the day before, would fund the government through September 30th. However, the bill, which was drafted solely by Republicans, includes a provision to maintain the previous year’s budget levels, increase defence spending by approximately $6 billion, and reduce non-defence spending by around $13 billion. These cuts, particularly to non-defence spending, have drawn criticism from Democrats. They have argued that the bill gives President Donald Trump excessive control over detailed budget adjustments, including the ability to make cuts without sufficient oversight.
In the Senate, where 60 votes are required to pass the bill without a filibuster, the outcome is still in question. With 53 Republicans in the Senate, the bill’s passage depends on securing at least 8 Democratic votes, especially since Senator Rand Paul (Kentucky) has already expressed his opposition. If Democrats continue to block the bill, the government could face a shutdown.
Alternatively, the Senate could amend the temporary budget bill, but this would require the House to approve the changes. Following the House’s passage of the bill, Republican members recessed and left Washington, D.C., which has led some to speculate that Democratic senators now face a difficult decision: either cooperate with a Republican proposal they oppose or risk shutting down the government under the Trump administration.
Senator Angus King of Maine, an independent who often aligns with Democrats, remarked, “This is a matter of choosing between two terrible alternatives.”