Nancy Pelosi Calls on Democratic Senators to Defy Chuck Schumer and Vote Against GOP Funding Bill: ‘We Must Fight Back’
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is calling on her fellow Democrats in the upper chamber of Congress to defy Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and vote against a GOP-backed bill to continue funding the government.
Pelosi, whose voice carries great weight within her party after her service as its leader in the House for 20 years, issued a remarkable statement on Friday calling on Democrats to risk a government shutdown and refuse to sign on to the bill favored by Republicans.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America. Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people,” argued Pelosi.
She continued:
But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill.
Democratic senators should listen to the women. Appropriations leaders Rosa DeLauro and Patty Murray have eloquently presented the case that we must have a better choice: a four-week funding extension to keep government open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement. America has experienced a Trump shutdown before – but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People.
While Schumer had initially said that his caucus was united in its desire to oppose the Republican bill, he folded on Thursday after facing pressure from some members of his caucus, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who reportedly screamed at her colleagues about the risk of Democrats being seen as responsible for a government shutdown.
“The Republican bill is a terrible option,” argued Schumer on Thursday evening, “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.”
