House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark on Friday denied that Democrats are not on the same page amid tensions with the Senate over Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying he will not block Republicans’ federal spending plan.
The Democratic Party has reportedly wrestled with their response to the spending measure, which they believe would further green-light DOGE to gut the federal government, and which calls for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and a $2 trillion reduction in federal spending over a decade. House Democrats were almost unanimously united in voting against the bill, but Schumer and some Senate Democrats have said they will not block the plan and risk a federal government shutdown, which is set to begin at midnight Friday.
“How are you not on the same page here?” a reporter asked Clark during a news conference in the afternoon. “Schumer’s arguing that a shutdown would be more catastrophic because the White House would choose which federal agencies remain open and thus give more power to DOGE [the Department of Government Efficiency].”
“I am telling you, our party is united on this front: that we will stand with the American people. And we are having a disagreement here. But this is our — what unites us,” Clark said. “We’re going to continue to work for those people who work for a living.”
Clark, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar held the sudden news conference after House Democrats were supposed to be at a retreat, underscoring tensions between House and Senate Democrats as a growing number of Democrats have lambasted Schumer’s move. Democratic senators increasingly announced they would not follow their caucus’ leader; liberal influencers and commentators slammed Schumer, with some calling for him to face a primary challenge in 2028; and, in an extraordinary move, House Democratic leadership released a statement that denounced his position.
