With an end-of-September deadline approaching to fund the government, both parties appear locked into a shutdown showdown.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., is moving ahead with plans to hold a vote Friday on a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government for seven weeks and avert a shutdown, which could lead to federal employees not receiving pay and interruptions in services.

The short-term bill would extend previous funding levels, albeit with small alterations, such as funding lawmaker security in the wake of the assassination of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk.

But now, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is digging his heels and demanding concessions. Republicans cannot fund the government without gathering seven Democrat caucus votes in the Senate to end debate on the stopgap bill.

On Wednesday, Democrats released their own competing CR, which includes provisions preventing the administration from rescinding spending and slashing environmental programs and provisions restoring funds to public broadcasters. It also would extend expiring Obamacare premium tax credits and undo Medicaid reforms from Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill.

“The contrast between the Democratic budget proposal and the Republican proposal is glaring,” said Schumer on Wednesday. “We are confident that when the American people contrast these two proposals, they’re going to side with us.”

Republicans want the same old status quo, rising costs, declining healthcare.

Democrats want to meet the American people’s needs.

The contrast in our budgets is glaring.

But Donald Trump is just still pushing for a shutdown by telling Republicans not to even talk to us. pic.twitter.com/xyfd0Fq6Zo

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 18, 2025

Schumer’s motives are not difficult to understand. The funding battle offers Democrats, who lack power in every branch of the federal government, some rare leverage. Additionally, in March he came under fire for voting to end debate on a Republican continuing resolution, thereby ensuring its passage.

However, Schumer has previously blasted Republicans for making too many demands in funding fights.

In 2013, before he was leader of the Senate Democrats, the New York senator accused Republicans of sacrificing America “to the right-wing gods,” in their insistence on rolling back aspects of Obamacare in the annual funding process, which he termed “extortion.”

In 2019, Schumer, as minority leader, he said of Trump’s insistence on border wall funding that “when the president inserts maximalist, partisan demands into the [funding] process, negotiations tend to fall apart.”

Now, Schumer is the main demand-maker. It appears likely that Democrats remain almost completely united in opposing a Republican-backed continuing resolution, as they demand health care concessions.

However, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has already indicated he’s not interested in any shutdown drama.

“I fundamentally believe, whether it’s Republicans or Democrats, it’s wrong to shut the government down. It’s one of our core responsibilities. We’re going to get paid. A lot of people that are working around here that make the town work won’t, and they won’t make that up. And it’s like, that’s the thing, I can’t ever vote to hold them hostage,” Fetterman told reporters Wednesday.

He added of Democrats making steep demands on health care that “if they are claiming that that’s our red line, then you effectively are painting yourself into a corner. But I am at least the one that’s willing to say my vote will be there, because I want that extension, but I can’t be part of shutting our government down.”

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