The Senate on Thursday blocked a six-bill appropriations package covering most federal spending, as negotiations continue to avert a partial government shutdown set to begin at midnight Friday. The procedural vote failed 45–55, short of the 60 votes needed to advance, after all Democrats and seven Republicans voted against the measure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) switched his vote to “no” so he could call a revote at a later time. Lawmakers had been on track to complete their appropriations work for FY 2026 this week, but the process was derailed after a second American citizen was killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis over the weekend. Democrats said they wi
The Senate on Thursday blocked a six-bill appropriations package covering most federal spending, as negotiations continue to avert a partial government shutdown set to begin at midnight Friday. The procedural vote failed 45–55, short of the 60 votes needed to advance, after all Democrats and seven Republicans voted against the measure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) switched his vote to “no” so he could call a revote at a later time. Lawmakers had been on track to complete their appropriations work for FY 2026 this week, but the process was derailed after a second American citizen was killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis over the weekend. Democrats said they will oppose the minibus unless the bill funding the Homeland Security Department — which oversees ICE and CBP — is stripped from the package and reworked. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the DHS funding bill must include reforms to immigration enforcement operations and unveiled a list of demands Wednesday. Democrats want to tighten rules governing the use of warrants, enforce a uniform code of conduct for federal officers, bar agents from wearing masks, and require them to wear body cameras. Sen. Schumer said the other five bills — funding the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and State, among other agencies — would receive broad bipartisan support. But if the Senate makes any changes to the package, it will need to go back to the House, which isn’t scheduled to return until Monday, after the funding deadline. Still, lawmakers and the White House expressed confidence a deal would be reached. “Hopefully we won’t have a shutdown,” President Trump said at a Cabinet meeting. “We’re working on that right now. I think we’re getting close. The Democrats, I don’t believe, want to see it either. So, we’ll work in a very bipartisan way, I believe, not to have a shutdown.” #senate #governmentshutdown #cspan ♬ original sound - C-SPAN - undefined
