With Democrats’ help, Senate votes to avert a government shutdown

The Senate passed a House-approved government funding bill that averts a government shutdown that was set to be triggered at the end of the day Friday.

The Senate voted 54 to 46 to pass the bill. The approval of the bill follows several Democrats voting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to keep the funding bill moving forward despite blowback from other members of their party.

Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor of the bill. All other Democrats voted against it.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was on the only Republican to cast a vote against the bill.

Earlier, 10 Senate Democrats provided the necessary votes to allow a test vote to advance. Democrats voted with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to keep the funding bill moving forward, despite blowback from other members of their party.

"I know a lot of members didn't like the CR -- the government shutdown would be far worse. A government shutdown gives Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE almost complete power … to close down because they can decide what is an essential service," Schumer said on CNN between the votes.

"My job as leader is to lead the party," he added. "And if there's going to be danger in the near future to protect the party. And I'm proud I did it."

The vote comes after Schumer took to the Senate floor Friday morning to defend his decision to support the Republican short-term funding bill -- a move that has drawn criticism from other Democrats.

His surprise reversal, first announced Thursday evening -- a day after he said he and Democrats would try to block the bill -- means there will almost certainly be enough Democratic votes to advance the measure to a final Senate vote Friday just hours before the shutdown deadline.

"As everyone knows, government funding expires at midnight tonight. As I announced yesterday, I will vote to keep the government open. I believe it is the best way to minimize the harm that the Trump administration will do to the American people," Schumer said Friday.

He said he believes the short-term funding bill -- or continuing resolution -- is a "bad bill" but said he believes if the government were to shut down, it would be a far worse outcome for the country.

"The CR is a bad bill. But as bad as the CR is, I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option," Schumer said.

Schumer said he believed a government shutdown would mean President Donald Trump and Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would have even more authority to "destroy vital government services at a much faster rate."

He said they would also have the power to determine which federal employees are considered essential -- potentially giving them more power to lay off or fire more government workers and shutter federal agencies.

"A shutdown would allow DOGE to shift into overdrive. Let me repeat, a shutdown will allow DOGE to shift into overdrive. It would give Donald Trump and DOGE the keys to the city, state and country," he said. "Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate than they can right now and over a much broader field of destruction that they would render."

He continued, "In a shutdown, Donald Trump and DOGE will have the power to determine what is considered essential and what is not and their views on what is not essential would be mean and vicious and would decimate vital services and cause unimaginable harm to the American people."

"Musk has told everybody he wants a shutdown because he knows it will help him achieve his horrible goal of just decimating the federal government from one end to the other. In other words, if government were to shut down, DOGE has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction," Schumer said.

"A shutdown would be the best distraction Donald Trump could ask for," he added.

Schumer also defended some of his Senate Democratic colleagues who have come out opposed to the short-term funding bill. He acknowledged the tough decisions they as a caucus had to weigh.

"Our caucus members have been torn between two awful alternatives, and my colleagues and I have wrestled with which alternative would be worse for the American people," Schumer said.

Trump praised Schumer in a post on his social media platform on Friday, saying it took "guts" for the New York senator to signal his support for the GOP bill.

"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing -- Took "guts" and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming," Trump posted on Truth Social.

"We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning," Trump wrote.

Two separate letters were sent to Schumer on Friday, urging senators to reject the GOP continuing resolution -- one from freshman California Rep. Derek Tran and the second from Ranking Member of House Appropriations Committee Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.

Tran's letter, which has 66 signatures so far and is addressed directly to Schumer, states that "as members of the House Democratic Caucus, we write to express our strong opposition to the passage of a partisan continuing resolution that potentially legitimizes President Trump and the Republican party's dismantling of government."

"We urge you to reject the partisan continuing resolution coming before the Senate and stand with the American people in opposing these draconian Republican cuts. All parties must come back to the negotiating table and work across party lines to keep the government open in a responsible way," the lawmakers wrote.

DeLauro's letter, which came from Democratic lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee, echoed similar sentiments.

"As members of the House Committee on Appropriations, we urge our Democratic colleagues in the Senate to reject the partisan and harmful continuing resolution that will only serve to enable President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Republican Party's ongoing efforts to unilaterally and unlawfully destroy the agencies and programs that serve the American people," the appropriators said.

"We urge all Senate Democrats to stand with House Democrats and with the American people, reject this continuing resolution," they added.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appeared to be distancing herself from Schumer's decision, slammed Democrats who support the House GOP bill.

"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," she said in a statement Friday.

At the same time, Pelosi applauded House Democrats for their near unanimous vote against the measure.

"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," she said.

ABC News' Isabella Murray contributed to this report.