Sat Mar 15 01:06:47 UTC 2025: ## Senate Passes Short-Term Spending Bill, Averting Government Shutdown Amidst Democratic Divisions

**Washington, D.C. –** The Senate narrowly passed a Republican-backed spending bill on Friday, March 14, 2025, just hours before a government shutdown loomed. The 54-46 vote, largely along party lines, highlights deep divisions within the Democratic party over how to confront the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures, particularly those enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

While Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer ultimately orchestrated a strategy to avoid a shutdown, his decision angered many Democrats who felt it was a capitulation to the Republican agenda. The bill, a continuing resolution (CR) funding the government through September, faced intense criticism for offering little Democratic input and granting the Trump administration significant spending discretion. Ten Democrats broke ranks to allow the bill to advance to a final vote, and two ultimately voted in favor.

The CR trims non-defense spending by $13 billion and increases defense spending by $6 billion, representing marginal changes to the nearly $1.7 trillion budget. House Democrats vehemently opposed the Senate’s decision, accusing their Senate colleagues of prioritizing party unity over policy disagreements and accusing the Republicans of wielding excessive power. The bill’s passage was criticized as handing President Trump a “blank check” due to the lack of specific funding directives for key programs. Concerns were raised that this leeway could allow the administration to redirect funds from critical areas, such as fentanyl combating, towards initiatives like mass deportations.

Despite President Trump’s earlier threats to blame Democrats for a shutdown, he surprisingly praised Senator Schumer’s decision. This short-term funding measure is the third such extension this fiscal year, reflecting Congress’s continued inability to pass annual appropriations bills. A separate, yet related, Republican effort to extend tax cuts and offset them with spending cuts is expected in the coming months, further exacerbating concerns among Democrats. A unanimous Senate vote also approved a separate measure correcting an unintended provision that would have slashed the District of Columbia’s budget by $1.1 billion.

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