U.S. Senator John Fetterman has urged Republican lawmakers to invoke the “nuclear option” by eliminating the Senate filibuster for spending bills. His call comes as the federal government remains shut down for over three weeks due to a lack of agreement on funding. The stalemate has persisted since Congress failed to pass a Continuing Resolution last week, and the Senate has since attempted to reopen the government without success.
On October 8, 2025, Fetterman addressed the ongoing crisis, highlighting the negative impact of the shutdown on Americans who rely on welfare programs and federal services. “There are no winners here. It’s not getting better every day,” he stated. The senator emphasized that the situation could worsen, particularly for individuals dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Fetterman pointed out that current Senate rules require a supermajority of 60 votes to end the filibuster, complicating the passage of critical legislation. He expressed his support for carving out an exception to the filibuster for spending bills to facilitate a resolution. “I support it because it makes it more difficult to shut the government down in the future, and that’s where it’s entirely appropriate,” he remarked.
The senator also took a stance against any hesitance from fellow Democrats regarding the filibuster, asserting, “We all ran on it.” In January 2022, when the Democratic Party held the Senate majority, all but two Democrats—Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema—voted in favor of eliminating the filibuster. However, the defections of Manchin and Sinema prevented the measure from passing.
In August 2024, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested reviving efforts to end the filibuster should the Democrats retain control of the Senate. Meanwhile, some House Republicans have communicated to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson their commitment to resolving issues related to expiring Obamacare subsidies, which have contributed to the current government shutdown. However, these lawmakers agreed that such discussions should not take place until the government is reopened.
In a collective statement, House Republicans noted, “We also firmly believe that the government funding debate is not the time or place to address healthcare issues.” They cautioned against using the shutdown as leverage for health care discussions, asserting that it prolongs harm and distracts from the urgent task of reopening the government. Once a resolution is reached, they expressed intent to address the growing crisis of healthcare affordability and the impending expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.
The government shutdown has now reached 21 days, with ongoing negotiations and discussions among lawmakers indicating that finding a resolution will remain a pressing issue in the coming days.
