Schumer to advance 'legislative vehicle' to avert government shutdown

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday that he would take action in order to prevent a government shutdown following the House's failure to pass a continuing resolution earlier this week. 

“Now that their efforts have failed, House Republicans don’t seem to have any plan for actually keeping the government open," Schumer said on the Senate Floor, according to Politico. "So the Senate will step in."

“Later today, I’ll file cloture on a legislative vehicle that will enable us to prevent a Trump shutdown in the event that Speaker Johnson does not work with us in a bipartisan, bicameral manner," he continued. 

On Wednesday, the GOP-led House failed to pass a continuing resolution that had the SAVE Act attached to it in a 202-220 vote. 

A total of 14 Republicans voted against the resolution along with 206 Democrats, while three Democrats voted across the aisle in support of the bill. Two Republicans voted present.

Filing cloture gives Schumer the ability to set up procedural votes on a spending package as early as next week.

“Both sides are going to spend the next few days trying to figure out the best path remaining for keeping the government open,” Schumer continued. “By filing today, I’m giving the Senate maximum flexibility for preventing a shutdown.”