Austin News

March 12, 2025

WASHINGTON – In a recent address on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn criticized Democrats for allegedly supporting a government shutdown that could adversely affect federal workers. He urged them to vote in favor of a Continuing Resolution (C.R.) to keep the government operational and continue advancing President Trump's agenda.

Cornyn stated, “If I listen to our colleagues across the aisle, they claim to have a lot of concern for the federal workers that depend on government funding.” He expressed confusion over why many Democrats voted in a way that could potentially put "thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of federal workers out of work" due to a government shutdown.

The senator acknowledged his own reservations about continuing resolutions but pointed out past bipartisan efforts: “Last year, the Senate Appropriations [Committee] on a bipartisan basis passed all but one of their 12 appropriations bills." He blamed former Majority Leader Senator Schumer for not scheduling these bills for votes.

Cornyn attributed the current reliance on a C.R. to what he described as "Democratic dysfunction," arguing it was necessary due to unfinished business from the previous fiscal year. He suggested Democrats dissatisfied with another C.R. should address their concerns with their leadership: “I would encourage them to take that up with their now-Minority Leader, as this falls squarely on his shoulders.”

He concluded by suggesting Democratic frustration stemmed from recent electoral outcomes and expressed satisfaction with Republican efforts: “I’m glad that the Senate Republicans are working to pass this necessary C.R. that will ensure that we prevent a government shutdown.”