Senate Majority Leader Urges Democrats to Support House-Passed Funding Bill to End Government Shutdown

 

In a fervent appeal on Friday, October 3, 2025, Senate Majority Leader John Thune called on Senate Democrats to join their Republican counterparts in passing a stopgap funding bill already approved by the House of Representatives. This measure, Thune emphasized, would promptly reopen the federal government, which has been shuttered for three consecutive days due to a failure to reach a bipartisan agreement on funding. The ongoing impasse has heightened tensions in Washington, with both parties pointing fingers over the failure to keep the government operational.

Thune, speaking to reporters, underscored the simplicity and urgency of the situation. "We have an opportunity to pick up a House-passed bill that—if it passes the Senate—will be sent to the White House, the president will sign it, and the government will reopen. It's that simple and that straightforward," he stated. The bill in question, a continuing resolution (CR), has already garnered the support of 55 senators, according to Thune. He described the measure as "clean, short-term, non-partisan," designed to maintain government operations without introducing contentious policy changes. However, he noted that the bill’s passage hinges on securing just a handful more Democratic votes to achieve the necessary majority in the Senate.

Despite Thune’s optimistic portrayal of the bill, Senate Democrats have remained steadfast in their opposition, refusing to back any funding measure that does not include provisions to address rising health care costs. Specifically, Democrats are advocating for an extension of health insurance subsidies, which they argue is essential to ensuring a truly bipartisan agreement. This sticking point has created a significant divide between the two parties, with Democrats insisting that any stopgap measure must address critical public needs, such as affordable health care, to warrant their support.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, defended the lower chamber’s efforts, asserting that the House had fulfilled its responsibilities by passing a bipartisan, straightforward continuing resolution. "The House did send a bipartisan, very simple, very conventional, 24-page, continuous resolution to keep the lights on ... We passed it, and it's been rejected by the Senate," Johnson said during a press briefing. He placed the blame squarely on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, suggesting that the Senate’s refusal to act is the sole barrier to reopening the government. Johnson further stated that the House is prepared to return to session and continue its work as soon as Schumer allows the Senate to move forward with the funding bill. "That's plain and simple," he added, emphasizing the House’s readiness to resolve the crisis.

The ongoing government shutdown, now in its third day, has intensified political rhetoric and drawn attention to broader ideological divides. Thune’s remarks came in response to recent comments from President Donald Trump, who described the shutdown as an "unprecedented opportunity" to advance Republican priorities, including reducing federal spending, terminating government employees, and eliminating programs long targeted by conservatives. Trump’s provocative statements have sparked debate about their impact on negotiations to end the shutdown. When asked whether the president’s rhetoric was helping or hindering efforts to reach a resolution, Thune sidestepped the question, instead redirecting blame toward Senate Democrats for prolonging the stalemate.

"When you're in a shutdown situation, you have to manage the government, and any administration is going to make decisions based on their priorities—figure out where to move money, from here to here, this agency, this department, these employees. That's the situation the Democrats have put the administration in," Thune argued. He suggested that the administration’s decisions during the shutdown reflect its policy priorities, which may differ from those of Democrats. "They're going to have a different political view of the world than the Democrats might have, but that's what the Democrats have wrought by doing this," he added, framing the shutdown as a consequence of Democratic intransigence.

Democrats, however, have pushed back against this narrative, arguing that Trump’s comments about using the shutdown to enact sweeping cuts are not only inflammatory but potentially unlawful. They point out that in previous government shutdowns, federal employees were furloughed—temporarily placed on unpaid leave—rather than fired, and no major government programs were terminated. Such actions, Democrats contend, would likely violate federal law and represent an overreach of executive authority. They have also highlighted past statements by Trump himself, made in 2011 before he assumed the presidency, in which he criticized government shutdowns as detrimental to the sitting president’s reputation. "I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He's the one that has to get people together," Trump said at the time, a quote Democrats now use to underscore what they see as inconsistency in his current stance.

The current shutdown has far-reaching implications for federal operations and the millions of Americans who rely on government services. With agencies closed and non-essential federal employees furloughed, the public is beginning to feel the effects of the funding lapse. Essential services, such as national security and law enforcement, continue to operate, but many other functions, including national parks, regulatory agencies, and certain public assistance programs, face disruptions. The longer the shutdown persists, the greater the risk of economic and social consequences, including delayed paychecks for federal workers and interruptions in government-funded programs.

The standoff reflects deeper partisan divisions over the role of government and its funding priorities. Republicans, led by Thune and Johnson, argue that the House-passed continuing resolution is a pragmatic, temporary solution to keep the government running while negotiations on a longer-term budget continue. They accuse Democrats of holding the government hostage by demanding additional policy concessions, such as health care subsidies, that they view as unrelated to the immediate need to restore federal operations. Democrats, in contrast, maintain that any funding bill must address pressing public needs, particularly in the realm of health care, to ensure that the government serves the interests of all Americans.

As the shutdown enters its fourth day, pressure is mounting on both sides to find a resolution. Thune’s call for just a few additional Democratic votes suggests that a breakthrough could be within reach, but the Democrats’ insistence on health care provisions indicates that compromise remains elusive. The public’s patience is likely to wear thin as the effects of the shutdown become more pronounced, potentially forcing lawmakers to reconsider their positions.

For now, the Senate remains at an impasse, with Republicans and Democrats digging in on their respective priorities. Thune’s appeal for bipartisanship underscores the urgency of the situation, but the path forward depends on whether either side is willing to make concessions. As negotiations continue, the nation watches closely, awaiting a resolution that will restore government operations and alleviate the uncertainty caused by the shutdown.

In the meantime, the political fallout from the shutdown is likely to shape the broader narrative heading into future budget talks and the 2026 midterm elections. Both parties are keenly aware of the stakes, as public opinion on the shutdown could influence voter sentiment. For Senate Democrats, the challenge is to balance their commitment to policy priorities like health care with the need to avoid prolonged disruptions to government services. For Republicans, the task is to maintain their push for fiscal restraint while navigating the political risks of a prolonged shutdown. As the clock ticks, the pressure to act grows, and the outcome of this standoff will likely have lasting implications for Washington’s ability to govern effectively.