Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his caucus made it no secret that they would derail the government funding process over the Homeland Security bill. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
"Democrats are ready to avert a shutdown," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
"We have five bills we all agree on. About 95% of the remaining budget. It is ready to go," she continued. "We can pass those five bills, no problem. All Leader Thune has to do is tee them up for a vote."
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., sought to call their bluff and barreled forward with the key test vote, which would have opened up several hours of debate and eventually a final vote to send the package to President Donald Trump's desk.
Ahead of the vote, Thune said he hoped that conversations between the White House and Senate Democrats would produce the "the votes that are necessary to get it passed."
Thune threw cold water on Senate Democrats' several demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) making their way into the current package, too.
"That's not going to happen in this bill, but there are, I mean, there's a path to consider some of those things and negotiate that out between Republicans, Democrats, House, Senate, White House," Thune said. "But that's not gonna happen in this bill."
With the six-bill package, which included major funding bills for the Pentagon and other agencies, now scuttled, Senate Republicans and the White House are looking for a plan B to keep the government open or to at least minimize the damage from a partial shutdown.
SCHUMER ROLLS OUT LIST OF ICE DEMANDS AS WHITE HOUSE SAYS DEMS 'BLOCKED' DEAL-MAKING SESSION
President Donald Trump tours the Ford River Rouge Complex on Jan. 13, 2026, in Dearborn, Michigan. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Schumer pinned the possibility of a shutdown on Thune, arguing that if he just put the five-bill package on the floor, Senate Democrats would support it.
"Well, let me tell you first, if funding lapses, it's all because of Leader Thune," Schumer said. "It's on his back."
House Republicans have already signaled their unwillingness to support a modified funding package, and turning to a CR is a simmering taboo that many Republicans in the lower chamber aren’t likely to be happy with.
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But it’s an option that could be gaining steam with Schumer and the White House, despite Trump administration officials blaming the top Senate Democrat for canning a meeting among rank-and-file Senate Democrats and the administration on Wednesday.
Turning to a CR would be an about-face for Senate Democrats, too. Last week they argued that a short-term extension for DHS would amount to a "slush fund" for Trump and the administration to use in their immigration operations with no guardrails.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/7-republicans-join-dems-block-major-government-funding-package-shutdown-looms