Democrats’ Government Shutdown Halts the Bipartisan Appropriations Process

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 Board10.02.25Democrats’ Government Shutdown Halts the Bipartisan Appropriations ProcessHaving Totally Failed While in the Majority to Pass Appropriations Bills Through Regular Order, Senate Democrats Are Once Again Derailing Appropriations Bills and the NDAA by Shutting Down the Government BEFORE DEMOCRATS SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN, THE SENATE HAD BEEN MAKING PROGRESS ON THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, A DEPARTURE FROM THE DEMOCRAT-RUN SENATE OF RECENT YEARS“Since I became majority leader of the Senate in January, I’ve made it clear that I am committed to a bipartisan appropriations process, in which senators of both parties get to make their voices heard. And, as I said, that’s the kind of appropriations process we’ve been following in the Senate so far.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)“Last month, the full Senate passed with overwhelming bipartisan support our first package of fiscal year 2026 annual appropriations bills. They included the bills funding agriculture and the FDA, military construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch… [T]his marked the first time since 2018 – seven years ago – that the Senate approved annual appropriations bills before the August home state work period.” – Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine)The Senate passed three bipartisan appropriations bills before the August state work period, the first time the Senate has done so since 2018. (U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Passes FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill – 8/1/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Passes FY 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill – 8/1/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Passes FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Bill – 8/1/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Passes Appropriations Bills with Significant Wins for Maine – 8/1/25)The Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced an additional five appropriations bills out of committee that are now awaiting consideration by the full Senate. (U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill – 7/17/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill – 7/24/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill – 7/24/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill – 7/31/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Senate Committee Approves FY 2026 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill – 7/31/25)“If there is a push from Democrats to end a shutdown, it is likely to come from members of the Appropriations Committee who want the chance to finish up annual spending bills and get the government funded the traditional way.” (The New York Times: Democrats See No Need to Capitulate, Nor Republicans to Cut a Deal – 10/1/25)By contrast, last year, despite the Senate Appropriations Committee passing 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis, then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) chose to not bring a single one to the floor. (Punchbowl News: AM: The appropriations mess rolls on – 7/31/24; Congressional Research Service: Appropriations Status Table: FY2025 – accessed 10/2/25)Instead, Schumer spent much of the Senate’s floor time in 2024 on political “show votes,” making the Senate shirk its core functions of appropriations: “[I]t means that all 100 senators don’t have a chance to shape the final [spending] product. That can only be done on the floor.” (Punchbowl News: AM: The appropriations mess rolls on – 7/31/24; Axios: Schumer's 2024 "show vote" strategy targets GOP – 6/6/24)Before Democrats shut the government down, the federal government had been operating on a continuing resolution because of Schumer’s antics last year. (U.S. Congress: H.R.1968 - Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 – 3/10/25)CONTINUING THEIR PRACTICE FROM LAST YEAR, DEMOCRATS HAVE NOW HALTED PROGRESS ON NOT JUST APPROPRIATIONS, BUT ALSO THE NDAA“Shutdowns put critical investments in our national defense on hold. Training exercises would be limited, which could hurt our nation's readiness. New programs would be paused, delaying new capabilities from getting to our war fighters.” – Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine)“I want to implore my colleagues on this side of the aisle, and particularly the Democratic leader, to agree that while we are at an impasse, there is still very, very important business to attend to, and that is the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act… Republicans and Democrats, on the Armed Services Committee have been willing to proceed, we don’t have engagement yet from the minority leadership.” – Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)“Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker is pleading with senators to finish work on the stalled annual defense policy bill as leaders negotiate ahead of the government funding deadline.” (Politico: Careening into a shutdown – 9/30/25)In September, Schumer forced the Senate to take a political show vote on an issue completely unrelated to defense policy:“In a surprise move, Schumer teed up a procedural vote on a measure directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to make public any available documents that the Justice Department possesses related to Epstein and his associates. Schumer filed the proposal as an amendment to a sweeping defense policy now being debated in the Senate.” (Politico: Schumer moves to force Senate vote on Epstein files – 9/10/25)“Thune and his leadership team were in the process of negotiating amendments when Schumer jumped in front of the line by offering his Epstein-related proposal.” (The Hill: Schumer ambushes Republicans with amendment to force vote on Epstein files – 9/10/25)“Republicans also say that Schumer’s move… to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files — which he triggered as part of the ongoing NDAA floor process — was an affront to the bipartisanship normally seen during this annual defense policy debate.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Johnson's to-do list for Tuesday – 9/16/25)A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS DIRE IMPACTS ON DEFENSE, A FACT DEMOCRATS RECOGNIZED IN THE PAST“Congress should use the time provided by a first quarter CR to forge the necessary compromises—something it has managed year after year. Yet today, Democratic leadership is pursuing an unreasonable course… Democratic leaders are gambling recklessly with America’s security. At least seven Senate Democrats must find the courage to break ranks and put national security above politics.” – Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro“A government closure would have severe consequences on the total force, undermining readiness and the ability to prepare and respond to our nation’s threats. The United States faces an unprecedented array of challenges - both abroad and at home - that demand a ready, well-resourced, and modern military. Our adversaries continue to challenge U.S. interests and security that impact the lives of every American.” – Reserve Organization of AmericaDemocrats’ government shutdown halts further appropriations consideration in the Senate, including on defense appropriations, which Democrats have previously acknowledged “should be unacceptable to everyone here.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: NEW: Secretary of Defense, Top Pentagon Leadership Sound Alarm That a Year-long CR Would Jeopardize Our National Defense – 12/14/23)Democrats used to recognize and raise concerns over the impacts a government shutdown would have on defense:“This is similar to the costs we face each time we flirt with a government shutdown or put the government on autopilot under continuing resolutions. Those situations come with costs and notably neither China nor Russia face the threat of a government shutdown or a CR.” – Then-Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) (5/8/24)“That kind of chaos does nothing to help ensure our federal resources are used most effectively to serve the people we represent. It causes federal agencies to waste time and money instead of working to ensure every dollar we appropriate serves our constituents. We cannot play politics with our children's future.” – Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) (4/30/24)“I think we all agree that a continuing resolution or government shutdown would be a disaster.” –Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) (5/22/23)“And the single most effective way that this committee can support the department in our outstanding troops is with an on time full year appropriation.” – Then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (5/11/23)PrintEmailTweetNextPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram