Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to the media following a Senate Democrat policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2025. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The minority leader addressed the Senate floor after a lunch meeting with Democratic senators on Wednesday, as some were reportedly concerned that a shutdown would be more grim for their party despite them broadly being against the CR.
"There are not the votes right now to pass it," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told reporters after the meeting, according to NBC News. "Democrats had nothing to do with this bill. And we want an opportunity to get an amendment vote or two. And so that’s what we are insisting on."
"Quite frankly, both outcomes are bad," Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., added, according to NBC. "Elections have consequences, but this is an extreme bill. If it passes, it will hurt a lot of ordinary people on the ground. If the government shuts down, that will hurt a lot of ordinary people on the ground, and so that is the dilemma in which we found ourselves."
Warnock said the additional problem he has with the bill "is that I think it advances this project that we’re seeing come from the executive branch, this power grab that does not respect that the power of the purse is with the Congress."
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., has not voiced whether he would support the bill in the upper chamber.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, speaks during a news conference following the Senate Republican policy luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Republicans argue it is too late to swap in a one-month bill, as the House is already on recess until March 24.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., signaled to reporters that he is open to having conversations with Democrats on adding potential amendments to the CR.
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., torched Republicans for keeping Democrats from the negotiation table thus far.
"Republicans are in charge of the Senate, in charge of the House, and have the White House. The American people know who’s in charge," he reportedly said. "It’s ridiculous for Republicans to try to blame the party that’s the minority everywhere."
Politico reported that multiple White House sources say that Schumer will allow enough centrist Democrats to join Republicans in supporting the continuing resolution, despite his vocal opposition of the measure on the Senate floor Wednesday.
"They’re 100 percent gonna swallow it," one White House official reportedly told the outlet. "They’re totally screwed."
Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on X: @danimwallace.
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