Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss and coordinate Democratic strategy ahead of September’s partisan battle to fund the government and avoid shutting down federal agencies, according to a senior Democratic aide.
Government funding will expire on Sept. 30 and Senate Democrats are having an intense debate behind closed doors over what line to take if House Republicans again send a partisan continuing resolution that cuts funding for Democratic priorities.
Schumer was one of 10 Democratic senators who voted in March to approve a House GOP-drafted funding bill, despite loud calls from many Democratic colleagues to reject the measure.
Schumer argued at the time that while he viewed House funding package as bad legislation, passing it would be better than risking a shutdown.
“While the [continuing resolution] bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse,” he warned in March.
Schumer’s vote sparked an angry revolt from liberal Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who criticized the decision to support the partisan GOP funding package as acquiescing to Trump.
Even Jeffries seemed caught off guard by Schumer’s support for the GOP bill in March after he whipped his vulnerable Democratic colleagues representing districts that President Trump won in 2024 to vote against the measure.
Democratic leaders hope to be better coordinated when they square off against Republicans in the next round of the government funding battle in September.
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