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Both parties’ Senate leadership urged lawmakers to work together to avoid a government shutdown during the upper chamber’s first day back in Washington as a deadline to fund the government by the end of the month looms large.
Senate Majority Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, said on the Senate floor Tuesday the “clear place” for the Senate to begin the session is to keep the government open. He preached that bipartisanship would be the key to avoiding a partial government shutdown.
“By the end of this month, the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, all must get on the same page about keeping the government open and avoiding a pointless shutdown, a shutdown that will hurt just about every single American,” Mr. Schumer said. “A shutdown that, of course, shouldn’t happen.”
“To accomplish that, the answer is very simple: all sides must work together in good faith without engaging in extremist or all-or-nothing tactics,” he added.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, agreed with Mr. Schumer on preventing a government shutdown.
“This month, of course, Congress needs to address our nation’s most pressing needs with timely appropriations, and we need to keep the lights on come Oct. 1,” Mr. McConnell said.
Both lawmakers lauded the work led by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the panel’s top Republican.
Mr. Schumer called it a template for the GOP-led House to follow.
The Senate panel has advanced all 12 government funding bills out of committee. However, the Senate has yet to vote on any of the measures.
That could change next week. Mr. McConnell said that the Senate will “aim to pass the first batch of their work out here on the floor” by next week.
Following Mr. McConnell’s remarks, Ms. Collins told reporters that the Senate would take up a package of three spending measures next week, which would include measures funding military construction and the VA, agriculture funding, and a third bill that has not been decided yet.
Mr. Schumer’s remarks come as the GOP-led House has struggled to advance spending measures, voting on only one out of a dozen before leaving Washington in late July. The sluggish process has all but paved the way for a short-term spending resolution to keep the government open.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, will also have to find a way to appease the 40-member House Freedom Caucus, who have laid out a trio of ultimatums for their support of a continuing resolution.
Mr. Schumer rebuked their demands, saying that the House is governed by the Freedom Caucus who have filled out a “wishlist they know can’t pass.”
“I implore House Republicans to recognize that time is short to keep the government open, and that the only way … we will finish the appropriations process is through bipartisanship,” Mr. Schumer said.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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