Government shutdown: Where the senators stand

If the House passes a short-term spending bill on Thursday, the Senate will need 60 votes to move it forward.

It’s a difficult task for Republicans, who only number 51 in the Senate — and not all of them are going to vote for the bill. Even if they did, they’d still need another nine Democrats to reach the magic number of 60.

Here’s a breakdown of the Republican “no” votes and where Democrats stand.

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO ON HOUSE VERSION

Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) — “I’m not going to vote for a CR” (Wednesday, to reporters)

Sen. Mike Rounds (South Dakota) — “For me it’s a matter of defense and a matter of trying to make sure that in the future the message is let’s get our work done on time. It has been 44 years since we actually had a budget act that was workable. In the last 44 years in only three cases have we actually gotten this budget and appropriations process done on time. That’s a terrible message to send. If I was in South Dakota and we were doing this kind of stuff, they would throw us out of the capital.” (Thursday, on CNN’s “New Day”)

Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky) — He said he’s voting no. (Thursday to reporters)

DEMOCRATS LIKELY VOTING YES

Sen. Joe Manchin (West Virginia) — “I want to keep the government open. I’m just going to work and work and work to keep the government open.” (Wednesday to reporters)

DEMOCRATS LEANING NO

Sen. Michel Bennet (Colorado) — “I’m very, very unlikely to support that.” (Thursday, to reporters)

Sen. Tom Carper (Delaware) — “To set the record straight, I’m leaning NO on the CR. I want a comprehensive deal. I’m really frustrated by what’s coming out of the Whitel House — in part the behavior of the president, but also just the unwillingness to negotiate in good faith.” (Tweet on Wednesday)

Sen. Pat Leahy (Vermont) — “All of this stuff could have been done months and months ago. Should have been done months ago. But I don’t think anyone wants to vote for a joke that undercuts defense, undercuts domestic issues.” (Thursday, to reporters)

Sen. Brian Schatz (Hawaii) — He said he doubts he would vote for it. “There’s no reason we can’t get this done. We have legislation that can garner a majority in both chambers. The onus is on the Majority Leader and the Speaker to schedule…there is one compromise that can get the votes.” (Wednesday)

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO

Sen. Cory Booker (New Jersey) — “I will vote against a clean CR if it does not include DACA, a fix to some of the other things that are high priorities to me. Why are we kicking the can down the road?” (Tuesday)

Sen. Ben Cardin (Maryland) — “I don’t think we should have any CRs. We should have a budget. Why are we doing a CR?Is something going to change in the next four weeks that I don’t know about? We should have a budget.” (Thursday, to reporters)

Sen. Bob Casey (Pennsylvania) — He put out a statement Thursday saying he’s a no.

Sen. Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire) — “I will join my colleagues — both Republicans and Democrats — in opposing this four-week funding bill, and I will continue working for common-sense compromises that bring our country the security and stability we need.”

Sen. Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) — “Members on both sides of the aisle have been working to reach agreement and meet our basic responsibilities, including veterans funding, disaster relief, and finally passing the Dream Act, but President Trump and his right-wing supporters in Congress seem intent on steering the country off a funding cliff. Their latest 30-day spending bill leaves bipartisan, must-pass priorities to languish and creates another unnecessary deadline that fails to fully fund our military and other key investments and only spreads chaos once again.” (Wednesday)

Sen. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) – “I will be voting no on the House CR because it does not include protections for Dreamers, funding for the Children’s Health Insurance program and Community Health Centers, and parity between defense and domestic spending.” (Tweet Thursday)

Sen. Tim Kaine (Virgina) — “We oppose the House Continuing Resolution, which punts budget discussions until mid-February.” (Thursday, statement)

Sen. Jeff Merkley (Oregon) — He said the plan doesn’t address Dreamers (Thursday, to CNN)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vermont) — Republicans control the House, Senate and White House. They have to pass an annual budget, not more one-month continuing resolutions. We need a bipartisan solution to the economic crises facing the middle class, to the DACA crisis that Trump created and to disaster relief. (Wednesday, tweet)

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) — “I will vote no on the House CR. This is no way to run a government. Time to keep our promises. Congress must fund a response to the opioid epidemic, children’s health care, community health centers, end the defense sequester & fix DACA. These short-term bills hurt our country.” (Wednesday on Twitter)

Sen. Tom Udall (New Mexico) — “The Republicans’ bill is irresponsible, and l can’t support it. We need to stop kicking the can down the road, vote on a bipartisan Dream Act, and work together on a responsible bipartisan budget agreement that adequately funds our national security and the needs of our communities — in New Mexico and across the nation. So President Trump and the Republicans have a choice: they can either come to the table and negotiate in good faith on a responsible funding agreement and protection for DREAMers — or they can cause a government shutdown.” (Wednesday)

Sen. Mark Warner (Virginia) — “We oppose the House Continuing Resolution, which punts budget discussions until mid-February.” (Thursday, statement)

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) — “I will vote against this spending deal because it fails to permanently protect Dreamers and does not honor the brave contributions these young Americans are making to our country every day.” (Wednesday, statement)

UNCLEAR — BUT EITHER VOTED YES IN DECEMBER OR ARE NEW TO SENATE

Sen. Chris Coons (Delaware) — “I am leaning no, but I am looking forward to a robust conversation both on the floor with Republicans and Democratic colleagues and in caucus.” (Thursday to reporters)

Sen. Joe Donnelly (Indiana)

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota) — “You tell me what’s coming across (from the House) if anything.” (Thursday, to reporters)

Sen. Doug Jones (Alabama) — “Still working, still trying to figure it all out. My concern is another CR — that’s no way to run the government.” (Thursday to reporters)

Sen. Angus King (Maine) — Q: Will you vote for the CR? “No…I think Mike Rounds agrees with me, I’m sick of voting for CRs…We have to close this escape hatch and stop voting for CRs and tell leadership they have to make their deals and then we will get it done. I’d vote for one for a few days to do the paperwork, but to kick it down the road for another month, we’re not going to know anything then that we don’t know now.” (Thursday, on CNN’s “New Day”)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Sen. Bill Nelson (Florida)

Sen. Gary Peters (Michigan) — He said he wants to see what the House is going to do. (Wednesday, to CNN)

Sen. Tina Smith (Minnesota)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Michigan)

Sen. Jon Tester (Montana) — He said it “needs more stuff” for him to support it. (Thursday, to CNN)

UNCLEAR (BUT VOTED NO IN DECEMBER)
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin)

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) — “At some point standing on moral principle is why we are here and we made a promise to the dreamers.” (Wednesday)

Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) — He said Thursday he hasn’t decided.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (Washington)
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada)
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (Illinois)

Sen. Dick Durbin (Illinois) — “I didn’t run for the Senate to shut down the government. But this is an issue of the moment.” (Wednesday, interview with Suzanne Malveaux)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (California) — She told CNN Thursday afternoon that she had not made up her mind yet. I don’t know how I would vote right now on a CR, OK?” However, her office earlier in the day put out a statement saying she would oppose it. “I said in December that I wouldn’t vote for a CR without the Dream Act, and I won’t do so now.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
Sen. Kamala Harris (California)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Sen. Ed Markey (Massachusetts)
Sen. Bob Menendez (New Jersey)

Sen. Chris Murphy (Connecticut) — “Is Mitch McConnell ready to negotiate with Democrats?” … there’s no sign they’re willing to sit down with Democrats … right now this CR doesn’t have 50 votes, much less 60 votes.” (Thursday to reporters)

Sen. Patty Murray (Washington)
Sen. Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (New York)
Sen. Van Hollen (Maryland)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island)

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