Sen. Chris Coons Pushing for Government Shutdown
Delaware’s Democratic Senator Chris Coons has suggested that a government shutdown at the end of September should be supported, arguing that President Donald Trump must align with Senate Democrats on this issue. Coons is among several Senate Democrats who have hinted at leveraging a partial government shutdown as a way to oppose Trump’s policies, particularly the White House’s recent push regarding foreign aid funding.
The fiscal year concludes on September 30, and Senate Democrats appear prepared to consider a partial shutdown as a measure to confront Trump’s administration. They are, in a sense, demonstrating their resolve against the president’s priorities. It seems like they want to assert their stance while considering the political implications.
“Trump and his allies in Congress have already closed down the government,” Coons remarked during a Tuesday interview with NPR. “If they continue with this approach, I won’t support keeping things open on September 30 because it feels like it’s already been shut down inappropriately.”
On Friday, the Trump administration requested Congress to eliminate unutilized funds allocated for foreign assistance and peacekeeping missions. Democrats have criticized this move as a “pocket withdrawal,” suggesting that the administration aims to cut these funds irrespective of congressional approval. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), such actions have been declared illegal, despite prior pocket rescissions by presidents like Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has raised concerns regarding the potential cessation of funding for the U.S. International Development Agency (USAID) and hinted at his own willingness to support a partial shutdown over related issues.
“We are nearing the funding deadline, and Republicans are once again threatening to shut down the government, worsening the healthcare crisis,” Schumer expressed in a letter addressed to Senate Democrats. He implied that Republicans seem to value power over practical governance.
In his letter, Schumer also warned Senate Republicans to either confront the legislative challenges or inadvertently foster Trump’s movement toward authoritarianism.
The White House seems skeptical of Senate Democrats, with an official suggesting that it’s hard to believe they don’t support a straightforward resolution to fund government operations indefinitely.
Interestingly, Schumer has faced backlash from within his party, particularly for facilitating votes to avert shutdowns in the past. There’s been some unrest among Democrats regarding his leadership in the Senate.
Senate majority leader John Tune has indicated his willingness to collaborate with Democrats to secure the necessary votes for government continuity. However, he cautions that a vote against a GOP spending agreement could be seen as the cause behind a potential shutdown.
A spokesperson for Coons has yet to respond to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
