Senate votes on temporary budget, avoids partial government shutdown

2025-03-15 15:52:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The US Senate approved a temporary budget on Friday evening, avoiding a partial government shutdown and overcoming Democratic opposition to the bill.

The bill was approved by 54 votes in favor and 46 against, after overcoming a more difficult procedural hurdle to stop debate on it, which required at least 60 votes.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this week, meeting a deadline to keep the government open, which expired on March 14.

Senate Democrats were divided on whether to support the temporary budget that would fund the government for the next six months, reduce total government spending by about $7 billion from last year's levels and shift funds from civilian to military spending.

Many Democrats were outraged by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who announced Thursday night that while he didn't like the bill, a shutdown was a "far worse option."

Speaking in the Senate on Friday morning, Mr. Schumer said that the rejection of the Republican bill would help the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by billionaire Elon Musk, including regarding agencies that would be closed.

"The shutdown would allow DOGE to intensify its (cutback) efforts," he said.

Dozens of House Democrats, who opposed the bill in the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Senator Schumer on Friday, expressing their "strong opposition" to his plan to vote for the bill.

Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged Senate Democrats to act against their leader's guidance.

In a statement on Friday, she said that "America has gone through a (government) shutdown under (President) Trump before - but this harmful legislation only makes the situation worse."

Asked by reporters on Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declined to say whether he supported Schumer's leadership role.

President Trump had called on Congress to pass the budget bill and on Friday praised Mr. Schumer for his support.

"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer who did the right thing – he showed courage!" he wrote on the "Truth Social" platform.

"I respect a lot what Schumer did today. He came out and said that they (Democrats) should vote with the Republicans because it's the right thing to do," Mr. Trump said during a speech at the Department of Justice.

Budget bills require a minimum threshold of 60 votes to pass in the Senate, meaning Republicans must secure at least eight Democratic votes.

The bill passed this procedural hurdle by a vote of 62-38. Several proposed amendments to the bill failed, but one that proposed eliminating funding for DOGE was supported by a Republican. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has been outspoken in her criticism of billionaire Musk’s initiative.

Mr. Schumer had earlier called for the Senate to approve an earlier version of the interim budget, for which Democrats had been involved in negotiations.

"Government funding should be a bipartisan effort. But Republicans chose a partisan path, crafting their own version without any of the input, none of the suggestions, from congressional Democrats," Mr. Schumer said on the Senate floor late Wednesday.

The House of Representatives passed the short-term spending measure on Tuesday by a vote of 217-213. One Democrat voted for the bill and one Republican voted against it.

House Speaker Mike Johnson overcame opposition within his own Republican Party, securing approval of the spending package.

He told reporters on Tuesday that the seven-month budget was an important step toward implementing Mr. Trump's agenda to eliminate government waste and abuse through DOGE.

"This allows us to move forward with the reduction and restrictions of the federal government. There is a seismic shift happening in Washington. It is a moment unlike anything we have ever seen. The work of DOGE is finding massive fraud, waste and abuse," Mr. Johnson said.

"We have a White House that is committed to getting us back on a fiscally responsible path."

However, independent observers and analysts say that DOGE is using exaggerated claims of fraud to generate support for large-scale cuts to federal programs and offices.

Lawmaker Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote against the bill, despite Mr. Trump calling on Monday night on Truth Social that he would lose his seat if he did so.

The interim budget gives lawmakers time to reach a compromise on the Senate and House versions of government spending for the next fiscal year, which begins in October, a key tool for implementing President Trump's domestic policy agenda.

At issue is how and when to pass a proposed extension of the 2017 tax cuts and how to pay down the U.S. deficit without cutting key programs that help American voters./ VOA