Three senators break with Democrats to avert shutdown
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D‑Nev.), John Fetterman (D‑Pa.) and Angus King (I‑Maine) voted Tuesday night to back a Republican-led continuing resolution that would keep the federal government open. Their cross‑aisle votes represent rare defections from the Democratic Senate caucus at a moment when Republicans need a handful of Democrats to pass the stopgap funding measure amid contentious talks over extending ACA premium tax credits and other spending priorities.
Politics
Government
🔍 Key Facts
- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. John Fetterman and Sen. Angus King voted to support a GOP appropriations/continuing resolution on Tuesday night.
- Their votes are defections from the Senate Democratic bloc and change the arithmetic for passage; Republicans need eight Democrats total to secure the continuing resolution.
- Each senator issued on‑the‑record statements: Cortez Masto cited harms to Nevada families from a shutdown, Fetterman emphasized country over party and extending ACA tax credits, and King said he opposed handing more power to the administration by allowing a shutdown.
📍 Contextual Background
- A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary funding measure used by the U.S. Congress to keep federal agencies operating while House and Senate negotiators complete annual appropriations for a fiscal year.
- A GOP-led continuing resolution proposed in September 2025 would fund federal agencies through 2025-11-21, keep federal funding levels roughly flat, and add $88,000,000 in security spending for lawmakers, the White House, and the judicial branch.