Senate Dems' riskier scenario ahead of possible government shutdown
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has signaled his party is prepared to let the government shut down.
Why it matters: Even if it's a bargaining tactic, Schumer and Democrats have put Congress closer to an outcome he's repeatedly warned against.
- By Thursday evening, Schumer and Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) could have a handshake deal to allow amendment votes and speed up the process.
- "Democrats had nothing to do with this bill. And we want an opportunity to get an amendment vote or two. So that's what we are insisting on to vote for cloture," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters on Wednesday.
⏰ Schumer wants a vote on a 30-day funding stopgap, he said on Wednesday. It would fail, and House Republicans have already skipped town (but could return).
- But forcing an amendment vote on a 30-day CR could give Dems an off-ramp to say they tried to put President Trump on a shorter leash before ultimately voting to prevent a shutdown.
- "They haven't made that offer about that," Thune told reporters. "But in the end, we want to fund the government. ... We just haven't heard from them yet."
🔥 Zoom in: Schumer's other, riskier scenario has shutdown written all over it.
- If the two can't cut a deal, Thune can put the funding bill on the Senate floor and force Democrats to prove they're willing to let the government shut down.
- After their second agonizing, deadlocked lunch in two days, Democrats said Wednesday they can't deliver the votes to advance the funding bill.
Zoom out: Schumer spent weeks telling his caucus that advocating for a shutdown was bad politics for Democrats.
- But he has also insisted any legislation to keep the government open must be done in a bipartisan manner. The bill passed by the House on Tuesday was written exclusively by Republicans.
- Schumer is balancing his deep distaste for a shutdown against pressure from the grassroots to do more to stand up to Trump.
The bottom line: Republicans think Schumer is bluffing, and both leaders say they want to avoid a shutdown.
- "I saw that not everybody's been whipped and I know a lot of Democrats are nervous about it," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Wednesday.
- But Schumer's been in Congress long enough (since 1981!) to know it's dangerous to play with fire.
