Schumer threatens Democrats will block Senate bill to avert government shutdown

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) threatened a Democrat blockade of the Republican bill to avert a government shutdown after his party met behind closed doors to discuss a complex decision.

Republicans "do not have the votes in the Senate" to pass the resolution, Schumer said on the floor of the upper chamber, warning that Democrats are prepared to block the measure.

Schumer said Republicans "chose a partisan path" in crafting the bill without the participation or approval of Democrats in Congress and that in the Senate the bill will not pass.

As an alternative to the Republican bill, which has the backing of President Donald Trump and speaker Mike Johnson, the minority leader proposed a short-term solution that would fund the government for a month, with the goal of reaching new agreements.

"I hope my Republican colleagues will join us to avoid a shutdown on Friday," Schumer said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Schumer's remarks came after a tense closed-door meeting of Democrats, where shouts and reproaches were heard from outside the room. "As they left, lawmakers wore serious expressions and avoided commenting," the WSJ reported.

On Tuesday, Republicans in the House passed with 217 votes in favor of the Continuing Resolution (CR) proposal. 213 lawmakers, including Thomas Massie (R-KY), voted against it.

But beyond Schumer's words, Democrats know they face a complex decision, with nearly the entire GOP convinced to vote for the bill with the exception of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Notably, for the CR to pass, the bill needs 60 votes in favor in the Upper House, to avoid a filibuster and send the package to President Trump for his signature.

To do so, Republicans, who have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, would need about eight Democratic votes to pass the CR considering that Senator Rand Paul will most likely vote against it.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has already said publicly that he would support the Republican bill.

"I refuse to burn the village down and to claim to save it," he said. "Imagine what would happen if you shut the government down. For how long? Who knows?"

Other Senate Democrats acknowledged they have a very bad deck of cards in their favor and only have negative options until Friday, the deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

"If we shut the government down, in a funny way, you’re giving the president even more power," said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO). "So whether he keeps this part of government open or closes this part, how that money gets spent, he has absolute control, you know, like a king."