March 18, 2025 Story by: Editor
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have strongly opposed the House-approved spending bill and have pledged to vote against it in the Senate, even as some Democrats argue that supporting it is necessary to prevent a government shutdown.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) criticized Republicans for pushing “draconian” policies and urged Senate Democrats to take a firm stand against the budget.
“We’re facing a hostile government takeover and @SenateDems can do something about it,” Pressley stated on social media Friday. “The Trump-Musk spending bill will make our constituents hungrier, sicker, and poorer. Listen to your constituents. Do not cede your leverage. Hold the line.”
During an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Pressley emphasized that constituents are “afraid” and warned that Senate Democrats should not be “complicit” in advancing the bill.
Her remarks come after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he would support the spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, a decision that immediately drew criticism from some of his Democratic colleagues.
“It is clear that some of us understand the present danger & some don’t!” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) wrote on X. “I stand by the NO vote on the blank check for Trump & Elon… I’ve got no explanation nor agreement with Senate Dems being complicit in Trump’s Tyranny.”
Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) also expressed frustration, stating that Democrats had been handed a “dirty” deal by Republicans.
All four Black Democratic senators have confirmed that they will oppose the continuing resolution.
“I won’t vote to give away your voice,” Blunt Rochester declared, adding that she is committed to “saving democracy.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) argued that Republicans have forced Democrats into an ultimatum that would either cause “great damage” or lead to a government shutdown.
“Both of those options are terrible,” Warnock said in a video shared on social media. He explained that he cannot back a “partisan bill” that slashes funding for health care, education, and veterans while driving up grocery prices.
“And here’s more: It gives this president who is clearly engaged in an unprecedented power grab even more power to exact more damage on the people of Georgia as he chooses winners and losers, what he wants to fund, and what he does not,” Warnock added.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) characterized the proposal as not just a continuing resolution, but a “surrendering of the powers of Congress to the president and Elon Musk.”
“This would give them six months to do some pretty awful things. We’ve already seen what they’re willing to do to the Department of Education, the VA, cancer research, and more. And now this literally gives them license to destroy, to move large money around, to punish certain states over other states, cut funding to local communities. There is so much bad stuff baked into this,” Booker said.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) warned that supporting the continuing resolution would contradict her commitment to fighting for her constituents and enable a continued “witch hunt against our patriotic civil servants.”
“We have a unique opportunity at this moment to course correct and pass a clean, bipartisan funding bill that would address some of these concerns and mistakes,” Alsobrooks wrote on social media. “Republicans control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives. Whatever happens next is squarely on them.”
Source: The Hill
