Press reports indicated that someone believed to be Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) was heard screaming during a private Democratic senators’ lunch on Thursday amid heated debate over the looming government shutdown. While Democrats remained tight-lipped as they exited the hour-long meeting, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters, “You’ll hear from me soon.” When contacted by Fox News Digital, Gillibrand’s office could not confirm that she was the individual who was heard.
Senate Democrats remain divided on how to handle the House-passed stopgap spending bill intended to avert a government shutdown, with some members inclined to support it while others appear willing to risk a lapse in funding. “They’ve been debating what to do, and there’s been people who feel strongly on both sides,” a Democratic source familiar told Fox News.
As of Thursday afternoon, several lawmakers—including Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)—shared videos on social media announcing that they would vote against the short-term spending bill, or continuing resolution (CR). “I’ve seen the videos that they’re going to shut it down,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., a staunch advocate of keeping the government open, told reporters. “I’m like, that’s spicy. Spicy, I don’t know,” he added sarcastically. “I don’t know if they’ll do it or not.”
He added: “Any party should never shut the government down.” He also said it would be “a gift for the Republicans” for Democrats to block the House-passed CR. “In fact, if anything, I think, they’re effectively daring us to do that.” The Pennsylvania Democrat further criticized his colleagues, recalling, “It wasn’t that long ago before we were lecturing that you can never shut the government down. So that’s kind of inconsistent.” Fetterman continued: “We can all agree that it’s not a great CR, but that’s where we are and that’s the choice.”
Warner, meanwhile, defended himself to reporters Thursday, explaining there are “no good choices.” When he was asked if he thought a shutdown would be better for his constituents in Virginia, he said, “I’m saying both are awful.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who serves a state won by President Donald Trump, said he hasn’t “made a decision” on the House’s short-term spending bill. He said the bill has “significant problems” and expressed concern that “things could actually get worse” because of the CR, specifically referencing the administration’s partnership with Elon Musk. “I also recognize that government shutdowns aren’t good,” Kelly added.
Shortly afterward, Kelly shared a post on X, revealing he won’t support the spending bill. “I cannot vote for the Republican plan to give unchecked power to Donald Trump and Elon Musk. I told Arizonans I’d stand up when it was right for our state and our country, and this is one of those moments,” the post read.
With a partial government shutdown looming and the Senate preparing to vote on a House-passed funding measure designed to avert it, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced on Thursday that he “will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.” He said that while the “bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.”
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