Ossoff, Warnock to Vote No on Government Funding Continuing Resolution

Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) have announced their intention to vote no on the Republican-sponsored continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through September.

If a spending bill or CR is not passed, the government will shut down at midnight on Friday, March 14.

Republicans in the House (almost entirely along party lines) passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through September, but Democrats in the upper chamber couldn't get the Senate version to the 60-vote necessary threshold to send the bill President Donald Trump's (R) desk.

Sen. Ossoff shared that this continuing resolution fails to hold President Trump and his administration accountable, calling the CR "irresponsible."

“Among the risks to Georgia in the House GOP’s partisan budget proposal: it guts NIH research into diseases like Alzheimer’s and maternal mortality, funding for the prevention of violence against women, and Army Corps of Engineers construction of water infrastructure," said Sen. Ossoff. "The House bill also irresponsibly fails to impose any constraints on the reckless and out-of-control Trump Administration. The Administration is gutting the CDC and the VA while destabilizing the economy. Both parties in Congress must fulfill our Constitutional obligation to check the President."

He concluded, “I will oppose the House budget proposal. The best available solution is a 30-day stopgap funding measure to avoid a shutdown, during which time Congress can do its job to properly pass a bipartisan budget.”

This could be a bold move for Ossoff as he is up for reelection in 2026 and will likely be against the popular Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) in a state that Trump won in 2024. According to a January Politico poll, Kemp leads Ossoff by six points in a hypothetical matchup.

Moreover, Sen. Rev. Warnock shared his rationale for voting against the CR as well.

“This whole conversation is Washington at its worst. Instead of working together to actually improve people’s lives, craven politicians shut the door on bipartisan conversation and reemerged with an ultimatum: vote for a partisan government funding package or let the government shut down," said Sen. Rev. Warnock. "Make no mistake, this government funding bill is bad policy: it would spike grocery prices, cut investments in education and health care, and defund care for servicemembers exposed to burn pits. More troubling, this legislation would give the President additional unchecked power to stifle Georgia’s economy.”

Finally, Warnock shared his belief that enacting the bill would do more harm than good.

“I do not want to see a government shut down, but passing this legislation would cause pain to millions of Georgians. I will be voting 'NO' on the Continuing Resolution," said Warnock.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) announced their intention to vote for the CR, which means six additional Democrats will have to join the 52 Republicans supporting the bill to avoid a government shutdown at midnight.