Pelosi Urges Senate Democrats to Reject GOP Spending Bill as Shutdown Looms

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday for advancing a Republican-backed short-term spending bill. Pelosi accused Republicans of presenting Democrats with a “false choice” between harmful budget cuts and a government shutdown.

“Republicans are leveraging working families to push their extreme agenda,” Pelosi stated in a passionate rebuke. “We must not give in to political blackmail.”

Pelosi called on Senate Democrats to reject the GOP measure and support a four-week stopgap extension instead. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed Pelosi, stressing, “This isn’t just about avoiding a shutdown—it’s about protecting the livelihoods of millions of Americans.”

Schumer acknowledged Democrats’ frustration but argued, “A shutdown would devastate federal workers and everyday Americans even more. It’s our responsibility to avoid that outcome.”

The intra-party disagreement underscores growing tensions among Democrats over how aggressively to oppose Republican proposals ahead of critical midterm elections.