Senate Democrats want a vote on an alternative stopgap funding bill as they look for leverage against Republicans with two days to go until a government shutdown.
The lawmakers emerged from a closed-door lunch Wednesday and said they would not help advance the House GOP-passed, seven-month funding measure unless Republicans would agree to give them amendment votes — including on a 30-day, alternative short-term funding bill.
Democrats do have some leeway to make demands, despite being in the minority: To meet the Friday night deadline to avoid a shutdown, Republicans will need an agreement from all 100 senators to speed up consideration of the House GOP funding bill, which would otherwise take days to get through the chamber.
Republicans need at least eight Democrats to join them in overcoming procedural hurdles to be able to move to a final vote on the funding bill known as a continuing resolution, or CR. Republicans can ultimately pass the funding bill by a simple majority, meaning they would not need Democratic votes for the final step.
