The Senate on Friday didn’t advance each the Home-passed short-term authorities funding invoice and the Democrat counter-offer, growing the danger of presidency shutdown early subsequent month.
The Senate motion got here simply hours after the Home despatched them the short-term funding invoice. The Senate voted to dam that Republican short-term funding invoice, failing by a vote of 44-48.
Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul solid votes towards the laws. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman was the one Democrat to vote for it.
As anticipated, senators additionally didn’t advance the Democrat funding invoice with extraneous well being care provisions by a vote of 47-45.
This leaves the Congress no nearer to a authorities funding answer with the Oct. 1 deadline quick approaching.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune is met by reporters as he walks to his workplace whereas Congress works on a authorities funding answer, on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sept. 18, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Forward of the 2 votes Friday afternoon, occasion leaders from either side of the aisle dug in on their positions, pointing fingers on the different facet.
On Friday morning, Majority Chief John Thune urged passage of the Home’s clear short-term funding answer to permit extra time for work on full-year appropriations payments. The Home-passed proposal funds the federal government for 52 days, via Nov. 21.
Democrats, he mentioned, would bear the accountability for a shut down in the event that they block the just-passed Home invoice from continuing.
“In the event that they need to shut down the federal government, they’ve the ability to take action, but when they assume they’ll achieve political factors from shutting down the federal government over a clear nonpartisan CR, one thing they voted for 13 instances below the Biden administration, I’d strongly urge them to assume once more,” Thune mentioned.
He accused Democrats of throwing an “infinite mood tantrum” by refusing to maintain the lights on with a stopgap funding invoice.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer speaks alongside Senator Chris Murphy and Senator Tina Smith throughout a information convention on free speech laws, on the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18, 2025.
Oliver Contreras/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
However Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, moments later, made a pitch as an alternative for the Democrat persevering with decision, which included quite a lot of well being care provisions Democrats need. Republicans, he mentioned, have not been keen to barter with Democrats to safe their votes.
Forward of the vote, Schumer mentioned that “senators must select to face with Donald Trump and preserve the identical awful establishment and trigger the Trump well being care shutdown, or stand with the American folks, defend their well being care and preserve the federal government functioning.”
Thune, nevertheless, known as this a “basically unserious proposal designed to appease Democrat’s liberal base” and mentioned it had “zero probability of creating it via the Congress.”
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks the the media after strolling off the Home flooring on the US Capitol, on Sept. 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Pictures
Forward of the Senate votes, Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned that “the ball [was] in Chuck Schumer’s court docket” to keep away from a authorities shutdown.
“I hope he does the correct factor,” Johnson instructed reporters Friday following the Home vote. “I hope he doesn’t select to close the federal government down and inflict ache unnecessarily on the American folks.”
What’s subsequent?
The federal government shuts down on Oct. 1 if Congress does not act.
The Senate is scheduled for a one-week recess subsequent week, although it is probably they will return midweek subsequent week if there is no clear path ahead.
