Dozens of House Democrats pen letters to Schumer urging him to reject CR

Dozens of House Democrats signed on to a pair of letters to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday, urging him to oppose the House GOP’s government funding bill as the upper chamber prepares to take a key procedural vote on the measure.

The full-court press comes one day after Schumer broke with House Democrats and announced he would vote to advance the continuing resolution — crafted by House GOP lawmakers — prompting outrage throughout the Democratic Party.

In one letter, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Democrats on the panel said “we urge our Democratic colleagues in the Senate to reject the partisan and harmful continuing resolution,” arguing it “will only serve to enable President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Republican Party’s ongoing efforts to unilaterally and unlawfully destroy the agencies and programs that serve the American people.”

Twenty-one Democrats signed the letter.

“Congressional Democrats must defend the rights and powers of the offices we were elected to hold. Congressional Democrats must fight for our constituents and for the American people against a White House that sees itself as above the law,” they wrote. “We urge all Senate Democrats to stand with House Democrats and with the American people, reject this continuing resolution, and force House and Senate Republicans back to the negotiating table so we can pass full-year funding bills that shield our investments in the American people from the Trump Administration.”

A second letter, led by Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.) and signed by 66 House Democrats, sounded a similar note, noting their “strong opposition to the passage” of the House GOP’s stopgap.

“The Republican leadership has deliberately cut Democrats out of the process, and we must not give in to Republican hostage-taking of our vulnerable seniors, veterans, and working-class families to advance their destructive funding bill,” they wrote. “If Republicans in Congress want to pass this bill, they should do so with their own votes.”

Instead of moving ahead, the House Democrats are urging their Senate counterparts to block the GOP’s spending bill and demand a vote on a 30-day continuing resolution, which would buy both parties more time to hash out bipartisan negotiations on full-year spending bills.

The Senate is scheduled to hold a key procedural vote on the House GOP’s spending bill Friday afternoon.

While final passage of the legislation calls a simple majority vote, Senate Republicans need at least 60 votes to advance that measure, which requires Democratic assistance.

Schumer announced on Thursday that he would back the legislation, arguing that a shutdown would be more harmful than the contents of the bill. Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) have joined him.

With Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) expected to oppose the legislation, Republicans need at least eight Democrats to join them in advancing the bill.

Topics

Trump congratulates Schumer for doing ‘right thing’ on CR

President Trump on Friday congratulated Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) for opting to vote to advance the House-Republican drafted six-month government funding bill, despite pushback ...
The Hill - 10h
Ocasio-Cortez on Schumer saying he'll vote to advance CR: 'Deep sense of outrage and betrayal'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for saying he would vote to advance the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government, ...
The Hill - 12h
House Democrats have 'a lot of incentives' to vote against short-term funding bill

NBC Senior National Political Reporter Sahil Kapur joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss Speaker Johnson's plan to fund the government as top Democrats urge the House to reject the short-term funding ...
NBC News - 4d
Pelosi shades Schumer on funding bill: ‘Listen to the women’

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday issued a blistering statement on how senators should handle a government funding vote that, without naming him, dinged Senate Minority Leader ...
The Hill - 8h
These 14 Democrats signed letter calling for Mahmoud Khalil's release

A group of 14 Democrats signed a Tuesday letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urging her to release Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate who has become a test case in ...
The Hill - 3d
Schumer says Democrats will block GOP funding bill, raising shutdown alert

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to pass the House-approved deal to fund the government.
ABC News - 1d
House Democratic leader Jeffries pushes back on divisions with Senate Democrats

Even so, he declined to express support for Senate Democratic Leader Schumer.
ABC News - 3h
Democratic anger over 'Schumer surrender' shows party's deep divisions on how to take on Trump

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer finds himself sharply at odds with many members of his caucus, fellow Democrats in the House and liberal activists.
NBC News - 6h
Schumer clashes with liberal colleagues over House GOP funding bill

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) surprised Washington Thursday by announcing on the Senate floor that he would vote to advance a House Republican-drafted six-month government funding ...
The Hill - 14h