Majority Leader | Press Release | Press Releases | THE NE...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 NEWSROOMPress Releases09.16.25Thune: Schumer Deploys Same Old Shutdown Script“[W]e’re suggesting right now a short-term CR to get us to November the 21st, to give us time to process and consider appropriation bills, which is the way we ought to be funding the government.” Click here to watch the video.WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership:Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):“Well, good afternoon, everyone.“I’m sure you’re all asking the question, are we or are we not going to have a Schumer shutdown?“And it sounds like, from what he is indicating, that very well may happen.“But we are going to give them every opportunity to vote for a clean CR – something that, in the past, Senator Schumer and the Democrats have said they support.“In fact, just as recently as last year, about this time, he made the statement that shutdowns cause pain and needless harm and chaos for the American people.“That was his exact quote about this time last year when we were considering a CR.“Now, interestingly enough, during the Biden presidency, when Schumer was the leader, the majority leader, there were 13 short-term CRs.“Thirteen.“96 percent of all Democrats voted for all 13 of those short-term CRs.“So we’re suggesting right now a short-term CR to get us to November the 21st, to give us time to process and consider appropriation bills, which is the way we ought to be funding the government.“And it’s going to take 60 votes to do that here in the United States Senate.“So I’m hoping that, notwithstanding what Senator Schumer is saying, that there are Democrats out there who think it’s a really bad idea, like they did last year, to shut down the government.“And if, in fact, that’s the case, hopefully they will deliver the votes that are necessary for us to keep the government open, keep the lights on, and we are going to give them an opportunity to do just that.“As you know, the House has posted their legislation.“They will send it to us later this week and we’ll have an opportunity to consider it and process it over here.“But it’s really important, from our point of view, that we pass – both the House and the Senate – and the president sign a continuing resolution to fund the government until November the 21st to give us an opportunity to do appropriations bills.“Now, again, remember, that’s not something that they’re accustomed to doing.“When Democrats had the majority around here and Chuck Schumer was running the Senate, we didn’t do appropriation bills.“Just didn’t do them.“They wrote them back there in his office.“We’ve tried a different business model, which is to allow senators on both sides of the aisle and their committees – in this case, the Appropriations Committee – to pass legislation, with an amendment process, report it out to the floor, hopefully with an amendment process, to enable all senators to have their voices heard on these important issues of funding our federal government.“So that’s where things stand today, and again, I’m hopeful that … they’ll come to their senses and there’ll be enough Democrats out there who consider Senator Schumer’s advice – which I think he’s getting from online trolls and activist groups, which he shouldn’t be listening to – that they’ll conclude that that’s really bad advice and work with us to keep the government open.”PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
