United States President Donald Trump signed a short-term spending bill into law on Saturday, ensuring the government remains funded through the end of September.
The Senate approved the measure on Friday, mostly along party lines, though an earlier procedural vote exposed divisions among Democrats.
Ten Democratic senators joined Republicans to advance the bill, avoiding a filibuster.
The legislation increases defence spending by US$6 billion, boosts border enforcement funding, and cuts non-defence programs by $13 billion - aligning with GOP efforts to curb domestic expenditures.
Democrats criticised the bill as a “blank check” for Trump, arguing that it does little to restrict his administration’s ability to reallocate funds.
The House narrowly passed the bill on Tuesday in a 217-213 vote, with just one Democrat supporting it. The legislation’s progress ignited a fierce debate within the Senate Democratic caucus, as the House version was drafted without Democratic input.
A major concern for Democrats was the bill’s failure to specify how the Trump administration should allocate funds. Some lawmakers warned this would allow Trump and his advisors to shift money to align with their own priorities.
The bill’s passage was uncertain until Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced on Thursday that he would support advancing it.
Schumer admitted, “The House-drafted bill is very bad,” but he argued that allowing a shutdown would be even worse. He warned that a government closure would give Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, “carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now.”
Schumer’s move triggered a backlash from progressive Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who accused him of “betrayal”.
“There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. “And this is not just about progressive Democrats. This is across the board, the entire party.”
She argued that Schumer had undermined House Democrats in districts Trump won in 2024, who had taken tough votes against the bill.
“To defend the American people, in order to defend Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, just to see some Senate Democrats” back Trump’s agenda was, in her words, “a huge slap in the face.”
With Schumer’s support, eight other Senate Democrats voted to advance the bill: Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), and John Fetterman (Pa.). Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, also backed the measure.
Following the bill’s passage, Trump took to social media to praise Schumer, stating, “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. We should all work together on that very dangerous situation."
