Republican leaders argue that Democrats would be blamed if the government closes and have pressed Schumer to offer a specific health care proposal. Some Republicans say they are open to extending expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at year’s end, but Democrats want broader commitments, including reversing Medicaid cuts and ensuring that previously approved funds cannot be rescinded.
Schumer cited recent moves by the Trump administration to block $4.9 billion in foreign aid and cut another $9 billion earlier this summer as evidence of why Democrats are demanding ironclad protections in any spending bill.
“How do you pass an appropriations bill and let them undo it down the road?” he asked.
The partisan divide is widening further as Senate negotiations stall on multiple fronts, including judicial confirmations. Republicans are even considering changes to Senate rules to bypass Democratic resistance.
Schumer’s hard line stands in stark contrast to his March vote, when he supported a Republican-led measure to avoid a shutdown and argued that closing the government would give Trump more control. That decision left him isolated within his party and facing calls for resignation from activists.
This time, however, Schumer and Jeffries are aligned, presenting a united Democratic front. At a private meeting with Senate Democrats, Schumer shared polling that he said shows most Americans would place the blame for a shutdown on Trump, not Democrats.
With the clock ticking toward the September 30 deadline, Schumer is betting that party unity and public sentiment will strengthen his position in the high-stakes negotiations.
