TELL THE SENATE: No DOGE Blank Check in the Federal Funding CR!

Senate Vote as early as TODAY, 3/13

The House passed the GOP’s continuing resolution (CR) with a narrow 217-213 vote earlier this week. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where Republicans need 8 Democrats to vote in favor of the measure since GOP Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has made clear he will vote no.

Funding for the federal government is set to expire on Friday, March 14, setting up a tight deadline for Congress to pass a CR to prevent a government shutdown. While the regular congressional order of funding the government typically involves appropriations bills for individual sectors, it has become commonplace for Congress to pass a CR as a stopgap. Sometimes, the CR is “clean” and maintains current funding terms. Other times, it includes negotiated changes.

To fund the government for the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year, Speaker Mike Johnson laid out a CR that increases defense and ICE spending by $6 billion and cuts non-defense spending by $13 billion. The non-defense programs subject to cuts include bipartisan-approved funding for FEMA, the Small Business Administration, clean water projects, grants for health care facilities and equipment, and 70+ programs dedicated to helping children and families. The CR also maintains a freeze on $20 billion in IRS funding and includes an aggressive power grab over Washington D.C., effectively cancelling its $21 billion budget and turning it into a federal agency.

The debate over a CR comes at a time when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his faux DOGE agency have commandeered control over the federal government’s workforce and spending. Little has been done to enforce current laws and court orders to stop this illegal hijacking. Congress must take advantage of this must-pass CR to install necessary, enforceable guardrails on DOGE and regain its constitutional power of the purse.

Senate Democratic leadership has proposed a one-month clean CR to maintain government funding while both parties continue negotiations on a longer-lasting CR.

Remember: Republicans run the House, the Senate, and the White House.

They run the government. If they have the votes, then they can go ahead. If they need Democrats (which they do on the Senate side), then they need to negotiate with Democrats. Those are the two options. Blaming someone else because your shoes are untied isn’t one.

Here is where some Democratic Senators stand on the CR (as of this morning):

Everyone needs to call their Senator right now, especially if they are a Democrat. Tell them:

1. Vote NO on Cloture AND

2. Vote NO on the Republican spending bill.

Don’t let them pivot to reconciliation. The GOP doesn’t need Democratic votes on that, and they know it.

TODAY is the showdown. The Senate could vote on the GOP continuing resolution as early as today, Thursday, March 13.

It should be clear to every Senate Democrat that any vote for Cloture will also be considered a vote for the bill. People aren’t going to be tricked with procedural games. They know exactly what is going on.

Defend Medicaid. Vote NO on Cloture. Vote NO on the bill.

Demand your Senators vote against any Continuing Resolution that doesn’t include enforceable guardrails for DOGE. You can find your two Senators here. The script to make calls is below.

YOUR SCRIPT

Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].

I’m calling to demand that [SEN. NAME] vote no on cloture for the current continuing resolution and to vote against any CR that doesn’t include enforceable guardrails for DOGE.

Elon Musk and his team of computer hackers have no legal jurisdiction over how our government spends money. Congress must stop them and take back their constitutional power of the purse.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied. You may need to press # to submit your call.