Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has joined a growing chorus of Democratic criticism aimed at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), following his unexpected support last week for a Republican-backed government funding measure.
Schumer, facing intense criticism from within his own party, has been scrambling to manage the fallout after the Senate approved a short-term funding bill designed to prevent a government shutdown. Democratic lawmakers expressed frustration, asserting they were excluded from the legislative drafting process. Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the move, stating it “codifies much of this chaos that Elon Musk is wreaking havoc on the federal government.”
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Speaking candidly on Tuesday at a news conference hosted at a children’s hospital in San Francisco, Pelosi openly expressed disappointment with Schumer’s decision, despite their long-standing political alliance. “I myself don’t give away anything for nothing,” Pelosi remarked to reporters, according to Politico. “I think that’s what happened the other day.”
Pelosi further elaborated her concerns, emphasizing that Schumer’s decision diminished the Democrats’ negotiating leverage against GOP proposals, potentially threatening vital social programs like Medicaid. “We could have, in my view, perhaps, gotten them to agree to a third way,” Pelosi explained, referencing a shorter, 30-day agreement option that would have allowed continued negotiations rather than the approved six-month extension.
“They may not have agreed to it, but at least the public would have seen they’re not agreeing to it — and that then they would have been shutting (the) government down.” The controversial funding legislation, signed into law by President Donald Trump, maintains government operations through September 30.
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The stopgap measure features notable budget adjustments, including approximately $13 billion in cuts to domestic spending while boosting defense allocations by $6 billion. Additionally, the legislation reduces IRS enforcement funding by $20 billion and notably omits disaster relief funding requested by California.
Pelosi’s public criticism adds further pressure on Schumer, who is already navigating a challenging political landscape with significant Democratic dissent over his bipartisan stance. Schumer’s attempts at damage control come amidst broader Democratic anxiety regarding the potential long-term implications of the cuts outlined in the funding bill, raising questions about internal unity and strategic decision-making within the party leadership.
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