House Dems Urge Senate Counterparts to Oppose Spending Bill

House Democrat leaders are pushing their counterparts in the Senate to oppose the Republican-led spending bill over concerns that it would require steep cuts to benefits like Social Security and Medicaid, The Hill reported.

Democrat leadership held their annual strategy meeting this week in Leesburg, Virginia, where top-ranking members of the party in the House called on Senate Democrats to block the bill when they vote on it sometime this week.

"Our ongoing conversations with Senate Democrats, from the leadership all the way through the members of the Senate that we regularly work with, are continuing," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in remarks to reporters during the retreat.

"The House Democratic position is crystal clear as evidenced by the strong vote of opposition that we took yesterday on the House floor opposing the Trump-Musk-Johnson reckless Republican spending bill."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., the vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus added in remarks to reporters: "House Democrats are very clear: We're asking Senate Democrats to vote no on this continuing resolution, which is not clean, and it makes cuts across the board."

Jeffries also said Democrats in the House and the Senate have prepared a 30-day continuing resolution to avoid a shutdown while both parties negotiate on a bipartisan deal for a full-scale spending package.

"There is an alternative for the senators, Democrats and Republicans, to consider," Jeffries said. "It is a four-week clean continuing resolution that gives both the House and the Senate — Democrats and Republicans — the ability to try to reach an agreement that actually meets the needs of the country and does not hurt everyday Americans."

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