Senator Schumer makes efforts to avert a shutdown as Speaker Johnson's subsequent action remains uncertain.
Senator Schumer announced on the Senate floor that he'll initiate an initial step, providing the Senate with the chance to schedule a vote the following week on extending government funding, as the possibility of a shutdown grows near at month's end.
Following the House's unsuccessful attempt on Wednesday to approve a funding plan with a contentious provision aimed at non-citizen voting, Representative Johnson hasn't divulged his plans moving forward.
Schumer retorted at the Louisiana Republican's handling of the issue, labeling him a "complete failure" at a press conference, having failed to pass the GOP proposal.
Schumer refused to confirm if he'd spoken with Johnson about upcoming steps or if he's pursuing relief for natural disasters or additional funding for the embattled Secret Service within the bill. "Won't be discussing negotiations in public on this matter," he stated.
Republican presidential candidate Trump has urged Republicans to enact a government shutdown if they can't pass the SAVE Act, the voting measure.
Many Democrats advocate for an extension into December devoid of the SAVE Act, which they see as an unlikely option in the Senate.
"House Republicans appear clueless in regards to actually maintaining government operations. Consequently, the Senate will intervene," Schumer remarked in Senate floor remarks. "Both parties will devote the upcoming days exploring the most viable path to maintain government operations. By filing today, I'm enabling the Senate with the maximum flexibility to prevent a shutdown."
Johnson, having faced the defeat on the House floor on Wednesday, asserted, "I will draft another strategy."
"Now we return to our playbook, draft another strategy, and we'll conventionally devise a solution. I've already engaged with my colleagues on their numerous suggestions. We possess the time to resolve this predicament, and we'll swiftly get started. I'm disheartened," he conveyed to reporters.
Johnson is under pressure as he manages a thin majority and with Trump advocating for the SAVE Act, which comes as the ex-president persists in casting doubts on election integrity leading up to November.
"If the Republicans fail to obtain the SAVE Act, and every ounce of it, they should not concur with a Continuing Resolution under any circumstances," Trump stated on Truth Social earlier on Wednesday, ahead of the House vote.
Regarding Trump's demand to congressional Republicans to enforce a government shutdown if the voting proposal isn't approved alongside the funding measure, Schumer was questioned.
"Countless Republican House members, as some of you have reported, are smart enough to recognize if a shutdown occurs, it will be a Republican shutdown. They are aware that Democrats oppose a shutdown. Moreover, they recognize that Donald Trump possesses limited understanding of legislative proceedings," he said.
"There will not be a shutdown. There has seldom been a shutdown—almost never," asserted Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois. "However, the fact that we must approach the brink frequently is truly disgraceful for the Congress."
(CNN’s Haley Talbot and Morgan Rimmer contributed to this report)
In the ongoing political discourse, Senator Schumer criticized Representative Johnson's handling of the voting provision issue, calling him a "complete failure."
Given the looming deadline for government funding extension, Senator Schumer emphasized the importance of finding a viable solution to prevent a potential shutdown, stating, "Both parties will devote the upcoming days exploring the most viable path to maintain government operations."
