Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for saying he would vote to advance the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government, which was largely opposed by Democrats in the lower chamber.
“There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters late Thursday, referring to Schumer’s decision. “And this is not just about progressive Democrats, This is across the board — the entire party.”
Schumer, who previously said Senate Democrats would not provide the needed votes to advance the House bill, argued passing the CR is less about its contents but rather the looming threat of a government shutdown.
“The Republican bill is a terrible option,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “It is deeply partisan. It doesn’t address far too many of this country’s needs. But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.”
His words echo the sentiments of Sen. John Fetterman who has also said he would vote in favor of the CR if it was approved in the House.
“We don’t agree with what’s been sent to us but, you know, if we withhold our votes, that is going to shut the government down,” Fetterman told host Stephanie Ruhle on MSNBC Tuesday evening.
“And I think that’s one of our core responsibilities in the Senate or in the government here, to not ever … allow the government to shut down,” he added.
Ocasio-Cortez said their approach is “incorrect” and labeled their pending vote as a “slap in the face” to voters.
“There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territory in the United States who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people, in order to defend Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing Elon Musk — I think it is a huge slap in the face.”
House Democrats have urged the Senate to vote on a 30-day funding stopgap instead, providing more time for lawmakers to negotiate changes.
