U.S. Government Faces Shutdown on March 14 as Senate Democrats, Led by Chuck Schumer, Oppose House-Passed Funding Bill

The U.S. government faces a potential shutdown as the funding deadline approaches on March 14, 2025. House Speaker Mike Johnson has pushed for a continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government funding through September 30, 2025, at FY24 levels. This measure, which passed the House with Republican support, has been met with opposition from Democrats, who argue that it would lead to harmful cuts in essential services. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has declared that Democrats will not support the House-passed CR, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown. Instead, Schumer has called for a one-month extension to allow for bipartisan negotiations on a funding package. This stance has put pressure on Senate Democrats, who are caught between opposing the Republican plan and risking a shutdown or yielding to the GOP's demands. The Republican-led CR aims to keep core government services funded without increasing spending, while also ensuring full funding for veterans' healthcare, boosting the Toxic Exposure Fund, and enhancing defense investments, including the largest pay raise for junior enlisted troops in over 40 years. It also increases funding for air traffic control priorities, secures funding for law enforcement including COPS grants, and fully funds the WIC program with a more than $500M increase to a total of $7.6B. Democrats, however, have criticized the bill for potentially disrupting programs like Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare, and for giving too much leeway to President Trump and Elon Musk in managing federal spending. As the deadline looms, the Senate is set to vote on the House-passed CR, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune filing for cloture. Without bipartisan agreement, the government could shut down, affecting federal workers and services. Democrats are seeking amendment votes on their own short-term CR proposal, which would extend funding until April 11, as a way to avoid a shutdown while maintaining their opposition to the Republican plan.