Schumer Says He’ll Support GOP Funding Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that he will support advancing a House-passed stopgap funding bill, effectively foreclosing the risk of a government shutdown. “I will vote to keep the government open and not shut down the government,” Schumer said in a March 13 speech on the Senate floor. If the government shuts down, Schumer said, “communities that depend on government services to function will suffer, and will suffer greatly.” Schumer also said that allowing a government shutdown would be “a gift” to President Donald Trump and would empower his efforts in reducing the federal workforce and spending. “As bad as a CR [continuing resolution] is, allowing Donald Trump to take more power through a government shutdown is an even worse option,” Schumer said. He said that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the administration would be granted far greater discretion to determine what constitutes an essential employee....