DC leaders urge Senate to reject spending bill

DC leaders push Senate to reject spending bill

D.C. leaders are racing against the clock to stop massive budget cuts from taking effect.

WASHINGTON - D.C. leaders are racing against the clock to prevent massive budget cuts from taking effect. With less than 24 hours remaining, senators face a high-stakes vote on a spending bill that could strip nearly a billion dollars from the nation's capital.

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick reports that Senate Democrats are in a tough spot. Voting "no" could result in temporary job losses for federal workers, while voting "yes" would empower President Trump and Elon Musk to continue slashing the federal government. The D.C. budget is caught in the middle of this political tug-of-war.

At a town hall in Ward 8 on Wednesday night, residents expressed their concerns, asking questions about potential cuts to public safety and schools, but receiving no satisfactory answers.

DC leaders urge Senate to reject spending bill

What they're saying:

"Somebody asked me tonight if we could pick and choose and prioritize, the amount of money that we would have to cut, and let me just say this," said D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. "If this goes through, the cuts are so significant, that I can’t think of anything that would be spared."

If the continuing resolution to fund the government that passed in the House remains unchanged, it would result in a 16% across-the-board cut to the D.C. budget, according to Alnwick.

City officials say the cuts would amount to $67 million from D.C. police, $28 million from human services, and $358 million from schools. These reductions would take effect as soon as the Republican bill passes.

Senators oppose proposed budget cuts for DC

What we know:

D.C. leaders are using every available minute to persuade lawmakers to amend the bill with an exemption for the District.

"We had to be innovative on the hill, I snuck into other people’s meetings to talk to staff, I’ve waited around to lobby to talk to staff members," said D.C. At-Large Councilmember Robert White. "But we were able to get to some folks and educate them, and I was up until about midnight with my team, emailing all the Senate offices as well."

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the lack of an exemption for D.C. in the spending bill, calling it an egregious, unacceptable interference in the governance of the District, Alnwick added.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner also announced his opposition, stating he will vote "no." This could force Republicans back to the drawing board with very little time remaining, potentially leading to a short-term government shutdown until a deal can be reached.

Democrats are hoping for a 30-day extension with a possible carve-out for the city.