Democratic leaders amp up stress on Senate colleagues to oppose GOP spending invoice: ‘Stand with us’

The main Democrats within the Home are ramping up the stress on Senate Democrats to oppose the GOP’s spending invoice, warning that the proposal would slash essential public companies to susceptible populations throughout the nation. 

Huddled at their annual technique retreat in Leesburg, Va., the leaders implored their Senate counterparts to make use of their filibuster energy to sink the invoice when it comes up for a vote later this week. 

“House Democrats are very clear: We’re asking Senate Democrats to vote no on this continuing resolution, which is not clean, and it makes cuts across the board,” Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.), the vice chair of the Home Democratic Caucus, instructed reporters on the Lansdowne Resort.

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) mentioned the lobbying is occurring not solely by means of the press. Home Democrats are additionally in direct talks with Senate Democrats forward of the vote within the higher chamber, he mentioned. 

“Our ongoing conversations with Senate Democrats, from the leadership all the way through the members of the Senate that we regularly work with, are continuing,” Jeffries mentioned. “The House Democratic position is crystal clear as evidenced by the strong vote of opposition that we took yesterday on the House floor opposing the Trump-Musk-Johnson reckless Republican spending bill.”

Jeffries emphasised that opposing the GOP invoice wouldn’t assure a shutdown, since Democrats in each chambers have teed up a 3rd choice: A 30-day CR designed to permit bipartisan negotiators extra time to seal a deal on a 2025 spending bundle.

“There is an alternative for the senators, Democrats and Republicans, to consider,” Jeffries mentioned. “It is a four-week clean continuing resolution that gives both the House and the Senate — Democrats and Republicans — the ability to try to reach an agreement that actually meets the needs of the country and does not hurt everyday Americans.”

The stress marketing campaign appears to have borne fruit. Whereas Senate Democrats had appeared poised to supply sufficient votes to shepherd the Republicans’ partisan invoice by means of the higher chamber — if solely out of worry that President Trump and Elon Musk would possibly exploit a shutdown to advance their efforts to intestine the federal authorities — Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced Wednesday afternoon that they’d demand a vote on the 30-day CR. Till they get it, Schumer warned, Democrats would oppose the Republicans’ Home-passed laws. 

“Republicans chose a partisan path, drafting their continuing resolution without any input, any input from congressional Democrats. Because of that, Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on the House CR [continuing resolution],” he mentioned.

Home Democrats had been just about united towards the Republicans’ spending invoice when it hit the ground Tuesday night, when Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) — with a giant help from Trump — muscled the invoice by means of the Home by a vote of 217 to 213. The invoice extends authorities funding, largely at 2024 ranges, by means of September. 

The one Democratic defection was Rep. Jared Golden (Maine), who mentioned a authorities shutdown can be worse than the GOP proposal. 

Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.), the Democratic whip, had performed a number one position in convincing rank-and-file Democrats to oppose the measure. She mentioned the unity displayed by Home Democrats ought to encourage Senate lawmakers to take the identical place. 

“We’re standing on the side of working families, and that’s why our message to the Senate is also: Stand with us on that side,” Clark mentioned. “And we think that our vote gives the Senate the strength and the message that they need to stand up as well.”

Help from Senate Democrats wouldn’t solely ship the invoice to Trump’s desk, it might additionally undermine the Democrats’ message that the proposal is poisonous to working-class households. 

Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chair of the Home Democratic Caucus, mentioned no Democrats ought to vote for it. 

“I don’t know why anyone would support that bill,” he mentioned. 

Up to date at 4:18 p.m.