Posted on 10/01/25
| News Source: The Hill
Senate Democrats voted Wednesday to block a House-passed stopgap funding bill that would reopen the federal government until Nov. 21, but several Democrats broke with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and supported the measure.
Wednesday’s vote marked the third time in two weeks that the House-passed continuing resolution failed to advance on the Senate floor — but it was the first time senators voted on the issue while the government is closed. The measure needed 60 votes to advance and failed 55-45, the same margin as Tuesday’s vote.
Three members of the Democratic caucus voted to advance the GOP resolution: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), a member of the Democratic leadership team; Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.); and Sen. Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
They voted for the resolution Tuesday evening as well.
Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against the measure. He opposed it because he says it would prolong Biden-era funding levels.
Schumer said the vote shows that Republicans simply don’t have the votes to pass their bill and need to negotiate with Democrats to extend the enhanced health insurance premium subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year.
He said Republicans also need to agree to language to block the White House budget director, Russell Vought, from unilaterally targeting congressionally approved funding.