Schumer reverses course, plans to vote to advance GOP spending bill in signal shutdown to be averted

Following reports that the Democrats were in disarray and feuding among themselves about advancing the House-passed six-month government funding bill, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, N.Y., announced on the floor of the Senate that he is planning to vote to advance the House bill. 

“I will vote to keep the government open, and not shut it down,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Schumer is just the second Democratic Senator, besides Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, to announce his intention to advance the bill, but his announcement will likely give cover to others who may not have wanted to have gone against his wishes. 

Just eight votes are needed from Democrats to avoid a possible filibuster and advance the bill to a vote, in which just a majority of the Senate is needed to pass it. 

Schumer said he thinks the bill is bad legislation, but he warned that a government shutdown would be a worse option.