U.S. Senate Passes Budget to Avert Shutdown, Exposing Deep Democratic Rift

A temporary spending bill extending federal funding until September was narrowly approved with reluctant Democratic support, highlighting internal party divisions over Trump administration policies.

The U.S. Senate narrowly passed a temporary budget on March 14, 2025, avoiding a federal government shutdown just hours before the midnight deadline.
Ten Democratic senators, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, joined Republicans to secure the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and approve the measure.
The budget includes $13 billion in cuts to non-military spending and a $6 billion increase in defense funding, prompting criticism from Democrats who view it as overly favorable to President Trump and Elon Musk's federal downsizing efforts.
Schumer defended his controversial decision, citing the need to prevent widespread disruptions such as furloughs for federal workers, delays in food assistance, and air travel chaos.
The vote has deepened divisions within the Democratic Party, with progressive leaders denouncing the compromise as a 'blank check' for Trump and Musk, while moderates emphasized the need to avoid economic and administrative chaos.

Courrier International