<div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-0"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The Senate Democratic leader said on Wednesday that Democrats would refuse to back a stopgap bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, significantly raising the chances of a government shutdown at the end of the week.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">After a private party meeting, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, instead urged Republicans to consider another extension to allow time to consider individual spending bills.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 C.R. that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass,” Mr. Schumer said, using the shorthand for a continuing resolution to extend federal funding temporarily.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Democrats have been dubious about the Republican-drafted bill passed by the House on Tuesday, which would keep federal spending going at roughly current levels for the next six months, saying it would give the Trump administration too much leeway to continue efforts to drastically overhaul the government. The bill would need the support of at least eight Democrats to overcome procedural hurdles and come to a final vote. </p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="Dropzone-1"></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-1"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Federal funding is set to lapse at 12:01 a.m. on March 15 if Congress does not act before then to extend it.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"> Any changes in the House bill or another extension would require the House to return and approve it, which is highly unlikely. Republican leaders deliberately adjourned the chamber and left town after passing the legislation on Tuesday to effectively force the Senate to accept their funding legislation.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The standoff puts Senate Democrats at risk of being blamed for any shutdown even as they complain about Trump administration disruptions to federal agencies. But they are under pressure from House Democrats and activists to stand against President Trump and Elon Musk as the new administration seeks to dismantle broad swaths of the federal bureaucracy.<span class="css-8l6xbc evw5hdy0"> </span></p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">With two days left before the shutdown, there is still time for a reversal by Democrats when the potential implications of a shutdown become clearer.</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="ImageBlock-3"><div data-testid="imageblock-wrapper"><figure aria-label="media" class="img-sz-medium css-d754w4 e1g7ppur0" role="group"><div class="css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-figure"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Image</span><picture><source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 3),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 3dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 288dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-mobileMasterAt3x.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale&amp;width=1800"/><source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 2dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 192dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-mobileMasterAt3x.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale&amp;width=1200"/><source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 1),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 1dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 96dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-mobileMasterAt3x.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale&amp;width=600"/><img alt="" class="css-r3fift" decoding="async" height="400" sizes="((min-width: 600px) and (max-width: 1004px)) 84vw, (min-width: 1005px) 60vw, 100vw" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;disable=upscale" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp 600w,https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-jumbo.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp 1024w,https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/12/multimedia/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb/12dc-dems-topart-qtcb-superJumbo.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp 2048w" uri="nyt://image/d4f24c8e-29e9-556d-9d73-5c2d4aca1c69" width="600"/></picture></div><figcaption class="css-gbc9ki ewdxa0s0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-caption"><span class="css-jevhma e13ogyst0">Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, last week.</span><span class="css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Credit...</span><span><span aria-hidden="false">Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times</span></span></span></figcaption></figure></div></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-2"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Mr. Schumer’s announcement came as House Democratic leaders, gathered for a retreat in Virginia on Wednesday, pleaded with their Senate counterparts to follow their lead and oppose the government funding bill. </p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="Dropzone-5"></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-3"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Representative Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, called the measure “a power grab that further unleashes and entrenches Elon Musk’s efforts” and applauded his caucus for sticking together on Tuesday in voting against it and sending a clear message of repudiation for its policies on the House floor. All but one Democrat opposed the measure in the House.</p><p class="css-798hid etfikam0">Annie Karni<!-- --> contributed from Leesburg, Va.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"></p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div>