Majority Leader | Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSR...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board10.09.25Chuck Schumer on the Democrats’ Shutdown: “Every Day Gets Better For Us”As Americans Across the Country Bear the Brunt of Democrats’ Government Shutdown, Schumer and Progressives Can’t Contain Their Excitement AS DEMOCRATS’ GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON, LEADER SCHUMER AND PROGRESSIVES CELEBRATE“Every day gets better for us.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)“It’s Day 9 of the government shutdown. There’s no resolution in sight to this crisis.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Schumer on the shutdown: 'Every day gets better for us' – 10/9/25)“It’s important to note that Democrats instigated this shutdown. They rejected a ‘clean’ funding proposal and demanded significant and expensive health care policy changes in exchange for their votes.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Schumer on the shutdown: 'Every day gets better for us' – 10/9/25)“Chuck Schumer ended the last shutdown standoff as a villain to Democrats outraged at his decision to surrender to Republicans. This time, the Senate minority leader has heeded the party base, sparking a showdown that has kept government agencies closed for eight days and counting.” (Politico: Chuck Schumer’s critics are praising how he’s handled the shutdown. For now. – 10/9/25)“We interviewed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday in his Capitol office, where the New York Democrat was as bullish as he’s ever been about his shutdown strategy.”Schumer also reiterated how Democrats premediated this shutdown crisis: “It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30 and we prepared for it.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Schumer on the shutdown: 'Every day gets better for us' – 10/9/25)Schumer’s target audience, far-left progressive activists, are pleased that he’s heeded their demands:“He hasn’t surrendered yet. I call that progress, and we’re cheering him on now.” – Indivisible Co-Founder Ezra Levin“Credit where it’s due this is a big step up in communicating what’s at stake… Nice work @SenSchumer.” – Leaders We Deserve Founder David HoggDEMOCRATS APPEAR UNBOTHERED THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS SET TO HALT MILITARY PAY“If Democrats can’t bring themselves to reopen the government by the end of the day, our troops – the people who protect and defend this country – will start missing their paychecks.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)According to CNN, “Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“Congressional Democrats are privately preparing to hold their position in the shutdown standoff for several more weeks if Republicans do not agree to their health care demands – and not even a missed paycheck for US troops will force them to yield.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)Military service members are set to miss their paycheck on October 15, “something that hasn’t happened on a large scale in modern times.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)“But Democratic leaders are confident their party will maintain its position through that deadline and longer if necessary, according to dozens of conversations with lawmakers and senior aides.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)FROM VETERANS’ AND SENIORS’ CARE TO TRANSPORTATION SAFETY, DEMOCRATS’ SHUTDOWN IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY“Travelers across the U.S. are beginning to feel the impacts of the government shutdown.” (NPR: The government shutdown keeps snarling air travel. Officials say it could get worse – 10/8/25)“The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing issues at airports in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia, and at its air traffic control centers in Atlanta, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The agency temporarily slowed takeoffs of planes headed to the first three cities.” (Associated Press: Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches seventh day – 10/7/25)“The next payday is October 14, but unless the government reopens before then, controllers will only be paid for time worked before the shutdown. If government operations have not resumed, October 28 would be the first scheduled payday controllers aren’t paid at all.” (CNN: Delays spread to major airports across the country, as the government shutdown impacts travelers – 10/8/25)“Ahead of the shutdown, the Department of Veterans Affairs said it expected 97% of its employees to work, though regional offices would be closed. Some death benefits, such as the placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries and ground maintenance, are expected to cease. Communication lines, including hotlines, emails, social media and responses to press inquiries, are expected to be affected as well.” (NBC News: What happens when the government shuts down – 10/3/25)“The government shutdown left some seniors without access to telehealth, while others receiving hospital-level care at home are being discharged or sent back to inpatient units.” (Axios: Some telehealth and home care frozen by shutdown – 10/1/25)PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
