Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was seen by some Democrats at the start of 2025 as a possible contender for the 2028 presidential primary.
But lately Fetterman has fallen out of favor with Democrats as he has increasingly bucked the party on a number of issues.
On the government shutdown, Fetterman has openly questioned Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s (N.Y.) strategy of insisting on an extension of expiring, enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies ...
Senate
GOP senators worry Trump is undercutting their shutdown strategy
Senate Republicans are grumbling that President Trump undercut their strategy for ending the government shutdown when he said that he’s willing to cut “the right deal” with Democrats on health care.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) scheduled three votes this week on a House-passed bill to reopen the government and keep it funded through Nov. 21 but failed to pick up any additional Democratic votes for the measure.
Some Republican senators worry Trump’s r...
Frustrations turn to heated confrontations as shutdown drags on
Partisan standoffs in the Capitol are bubbling into tense public confrontations as the government shutdown heads into its tenth day — with no end in sight.
On Wednesday alone, a pair of confrontations garnered significant attention as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle struggle to secure the upper hand in negotiations.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) over his unwillingness to support his bill — a one-year...
Senate Republican slams Greene shutdown criticism: ‘Totally unfair’
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) on Thursday slammed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for breaking with party leadership in her criticism of the government shutdown.
“I understand the frustrations, but I think it's totally unfair to say that Republicans have not entered in negotiations and Republicans are not having conversations,” the senior West Virginia senator said during an appearance on CNN’s “Inside Politics” when asked about her House colleague.
Gree...
Democratic Alarm Over an Unbound Trump Fuels Shutdown Standoff
The threat of rising Obamacare premiums has been Democrats’ main focus in the public debate, but the president’s defiance of laws, norms and congressional constraints has helped hold them together in opposition.
Senate defeats government funding measure as shutdown hits Day 9
The Senate on Thursday voted for a seventh time to block a House-passed bill to reopen the federal government, as only three members of the Democratic caucus joined Republicans in voting to resolve the impasse.
The House Republican-drafted measure to fund the government through Nov. 21, a "clean" continuing resolution that would keep funding at its current level, failed to advance on a procedural vote, 54-45. It needed 60 votes to advance.
Democratic Sens. John Fe...
Vance hits Schumer over ‘vile’ shutdown comment
The White House and Republicans in Congress are seizing on comments from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in which the Democratic leader argued the party's position gets better "every day" amid the ongoing government shutdown.
White House officials blasted Schumer's comments in an interview with Punchbowl News as insensitive as the shutdown threatens pay for military members and funds for certain government programs.
"Better for Schumer. Worse for Ame...
Democrats win momentum over GOP in shutdown fight
As the shutdown fight stretches into its second week, the winds have shifted in favor of the Democrats — at least for the moment.
Early polls say voters are more likely to blame President Trump and the Republicans for the lengthy impasse. The president and his congressional allies are publicly at odds over compensation for furloughed workers. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is sending mixed messages on whether to protect military pay. And prominent cracks are emerging in the G...
Worries grow over air traffic tumult as shutdown hits second week
Senators are growing increasingly concerned that the mounting flight delays and air traffic controller absences could balloon to the level experienced during the 2019 government shutdown, with some believing it could again be key to breaking the stalemate.
Air traffic control staffing issues caused significant delays Monday and Tuesday as the shutdown extended into a second week, with roughly 10,000 flights being affected. Those troubles weren’t as pronounced Wednesday, tho...
Worries grow over air traffic tumult as shutdown hits second week
Senators are growing increasingly concerned that the mounting flight delays and air traffic controller absences could balloon to the level experienced during the 2019 government shutdown, with some believing it could again be key to breaking the stalemate.
Air traffic control staffing issues caused significant delays Monday and Tuesday as the shutdown extended into a second week, with roughly 10,000 flights being affected. Those troubles weren’t as pronounced Wednesday, tho...