Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer privately told fellow Democrats during a closed-door lunch Thursday that he would help advance a House GOP funding bill — a strong indication that Senate Democrats will ultimately back down from forcing a government shutdown on Saturday.
Schumer’s closed-door comments, confirmed by two people granted anonymity to disclose his private remarks, comes amid days of Democratic agonizing about the possible shutdown. Their dilemma was forced by the House’s approval Tuesday of a funding patch through September, one that was written without Democratic input.
Schumer has not publicly reiterated his comments, which were first reported by The New York Times, but he is expected to speak from the Senate floor on Thursday evening. Republicans will need eight Democrats to help them break a 60-vote filibuster of the House GOP bill.