House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced that he will oppose a Republican-backed spending bill designed to reopen the federal government, setting up a high-stakes showdown as the shutdown enters its second week.
The measure, which passed the U.S. Senate late Sunday night by a 60–40 vote, carried broad bipartisan support and appeared poised to end the shutdown that began November 1. But Jeffries made clear that House Democrats would not back the plan, arguing that it fails to meet core Democratic priorities.
Jeffries voiced his support for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Monday, standing by his Senate counterpart amid growing criticism from progressive Democrats over the compromise deal to end the government shutdown.
“Yes and yes,” Jeffries told reporters when asked if Schumer had been effective as Senate minority leader and should remain in his position.
Jeffries, along with other top Democratic leaders, has indicated that they plan to oppose the GOP-backed stopgap funding bill when it reaches the House floor later this week. Schumer also voted against advancing the measure during Sunday’s Senate proceedings.
The party leader also praised Senate Democrats for their resistence, saying, “the overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have weighed a valiant fight over the last seven weeks, defeating the partisan Republican spending bill 14 or 15 different times, week after week after week.”
The Senate agreement was negotiated by Senators Angus King (I–Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D–N.H.), and Maggie Hassan (D–N.H.), alongside several Republican counterparts. The proposal funds the government through January and would have ended the longest shutdown in U.S. history without major spending cuts.
Several Senate Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the package, describing it as a necessary step to restore stability and avoid further economic fallout. The shutdown has already forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers to miss paychecks and disrupted critical services across the country.
But Jeffries’ stance effectively halts momentum in the House, where his opposition carries significant weight among Democrats. Without Democratic support, House Republicans will have to decide whether to push the bill through on their own or reopen negotiations to meet some of the demands outlined by Jeffries and his caucus.
At the center of Jeffries’ opposition is the bill’s exclusion of an extension for Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that are set to expire under Democrats’ own 2022 reconciliation package. Democrats have been pushing for a one-year extension to ensure millions of Americans do not see higher premiums next year.
Jeffries’ announcement has exposed divisions within the Democratic ranks, as several Senate Democrats had already voted for the measure to move forward. That split underscores the challenge facing party leaders: balancing pressure to end the shutdown quickly with a desire to maintain leverage on key policy issues. Republicans, meanwhile, are seizing on Jeffries’ resistance to argue that Democrats are the ones prolonging the standoff.
The shutdown, which began after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution by November 1, has already shuttered federal agencies and forced thousands of workers into furloughs. The economic strain is growing daily, with small businesses and contractors warning of cascading effects if the stalemate continues.
For now, Jeffries shows no sign of backing down. His opposition signals that Democrats are willing to endure the political fallout rather than accept a plan they believe undermines health care protections and working-class priorities. With federal offices still closed and partisan tensions rising, both parties face mounting pressure to find a path forward.