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The essentially party-line vote, 54-46, didn't give the full picture of Democratic angst over how to confront the Trump administration as its Department of Government Efficiency fires federal workers and dismantles operations. Democrats argued over whether to fight even risking a shutdown and fumed that Republicans drafted a measure that included little of their input, shortchanging health care, housing and other priorities.

In the end, enough of the Democratic senators decided a government shutdown would be even worse, and backed Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer's strategy to allow the bill to come forward.

鈥淎 shutdown will allow DOGE to shift into overdrive,鈥� Schumer said. 鈥淒onald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate.鈥�

Democrats were confronted with two painful options: allowing passage of a bill they believe gives Trump vast discretion on spending decisions or voting no and letting a funding lapse ensue. All told, 10 Democrats voted to break the party鈥檚 filibuster. On final passage, two Democrats supported the bill, and one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, opposed it.

Schumer gave members of his caucus days to vent their frustration about the options before them, but abruptly switched course and made clear on the eve of voting that he would not allow a government shutdown. His move outraged many in the party who want to fight the Trump agenda, but gave senators room to side with Republicans and allow the continuing resolution, often described as a CR, to advance.

Democrats from all corners looked to pressure senators to kill the bill. House members wrote letters, posted on social media and held news conferences in the hours before the vote.

"The American people sent Democrats to Congress to fight against Republican dysfunction and chaos," said a letter from 66 House Democrats to Schumer.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and his team dashed back to the Capitol urging senators to block the bill and negotiate a true compromise with Republicans.

Some Democrats also argued that Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown, given they controlled all the levers of power in Congress and the White House.

"If you refuse to put forward an offer that includes any Democratic input and you don't get Democratic votes, that's on Republicans," said Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In contrast, Schumer picked up a nod of support from Trump himself, who just a day earlier geared up to blame Democrats for a shutdown.

"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing 鈥� Took 'guts' and courage!" the president posted on his social media account.

Schumer acknowledged the difficult choice, but insisted Democrats would not allow a government shutdown.

Congress was unable to pass the annual appropriations bills designed to fund the government, so they've resorted to passing short-term extensions instead. The legislation before the Senate was the third such continuing resolution for the current fiscal year, now nearly half over.

The legislation funds the federal government through the end of September. It would trim nondefense spending by about $13 billion from the prior year and increase defense spending by about $6 billion, which are marginal changes when talking about a topline spending level of nearly $1.7 trillion.

The Republican-led House passed the spending bill Tuesday and then adjourned, leaving senators with a decision to either take it or leave it.

While Democrats pushed for a vote on a fourth short-term extension, GOP leadership made clear that option was a nonstarter.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and others made the case that any blame for a shutdown would fall squarely on Democrats. "Democrats need to decide if they're going to support funding legislation that came over from the House, or if they're going to shut down the government," he said.

Progressive groups urged Democratic lawmakers to insist on the 30-day extension and oppose the spending bill, saying business as usual must not continue.

But Schumer said Trump would seize more power during a shutdown, because it would give the administration the ability to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel nonessential, furloughing staff with no promise they would ever be rehired.

Spending bills typically come with specific funding directives for key programs, but hundreds of those directives fall away under the continuing resolution passed by the House. So the administration will have more leeway to decide where the money goes.

For example, a Democratic memo said the bill would allow the administration to steer money away from combating fentanyl and instead use it on mass deportation initiatives.

Democrats also object to clawing back $20 billion in special IRS funding, on top of the $20 billion rescission approved during Joe Biden's presidency.

Senators also unanimously approved a separate bill to fix a provision in the package that would have required the District of Columbia to revert to 2024 budget levels, a cut of about $1.1 billion, even though the district raises most of its own money. The bill, which now goes to House, would allow spending at 2025 levels.

The spending bill the Senate approved is separate from the GOP effort to extend tax cuts for individuals passed in Trump's first term and to partially pay for them with spending cuts elsewhere in government. That package will be developed in months ahead.