Senate Democrats face critical decisions on government shutdown

Senate Democrats are facing a critical decision as the federal government is on the brink of shutdown, with a deadline of 12:01 a.m. Saturday. They must choose between supporting a Republican funding bill that has drawn significant criticism or risk being blamed for the shutdown. The GOP measure, which passed the House, would keep the government open while reducing non-defense spending and increasing defense allocations, but lacks the usual budgetary safeguards. Some Senate Democrats, including John Fetterman, have expressed concern that a government shutdown would ultimately harm their party's image and federal employees, urging their colleagues to consider the political ramifications. Meanwhile, progressive House Democrats are pressuring Senate counterparts to reject the Republican bill entirely. With only a few days left, the pressure is mounting on Senate leaders to reach a bipartisan solution.