U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, addressed the Senate on October 1, 2025, following a government shutdown that he attributes to Senate Democrats. In his remarks, Barrasso criticized Democrats for voting against a continuing resolution that would have kept the government open.
Barrasso stated, “Senate Democrats have now officially dragged our nation into a Schumer Shutdown. This shutdown did not have to happen, and it certainly does not need to continue. Americans are overwhelmingly against the shutdown. New polling from the New York Times and Siena College proves it. Here is the key finding. Two in three Americans believe Democrats should not shut down the government even if they don’t get their trillion-dollar ransom – which they won’t. Only 47 percent of Democrats support a shutdown. That’s not even a majority of Democrats. Senate Democrats are on the wrong side of Republicans, Independents, and even their own party.”
He noted that three Democratic senators voted with Republicans and called for more to join efforts to reopen the government: “There is only one good option to reopen the government. That option is the bipartisan, clean continuing resolution that we will vote on this morning. The House already passed it with bipartisan support. President Trump is ready to sign it. Senate Republicans voted to pass it yesterday. All it takes to reopen the government is cooperation from just five more Senate Democrats. We picked up three Democrats last night. There are clearly cracks on their side and movement towards our side. That will continue.”
Barrasso emphasized that reopening requires 60 votes in the Senate and said Republicans are asking only for current funding levels over seven weeks: “All we are asking for is to fund the government at current funding levels for the next seven weeks. Democrats supported these same funding levels before.” He accused Democrats of demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending for four weeks of funding.
He referenced past statements by Democratic senators opposing shutdowns when their party held the presidency: “Senator Chuck Schumer said, ‘Passing a clean CR… will avert a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown.’ He also said, ‘If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most.’ Yesterday, he voted to shut down the government.” Barrasso cited similar previous comments from Senators Patty Murray, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy, Amy Klobuchar, and Brian Schatz.
Barrasso argued that essential services such as border security and veterans’ healthcare would be affected by the shutdown: “The Border Patrol agents are showing up to work without getting paid… Veterans’ healthcare will be impacted. Low-income families will lose vital benefits to help buy groceries.”
He also criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s handling of appropriations bills last year: “When he was Majority Leader, Senator Schumer broke that process… He shut down the appropriations process – and now he has shut down the government.” Barrasso credited Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) for recent progress in passing appropriations bills before August.
Concluding his remarks, Barrasso urged Democratic senators to accept what he described as a bipartisan offer: “Today, Senate Democrats face a clear choice… A bipartisan offer is in front of the Senate. It is time to pass it today and end this Schumer Shutdown.”
