
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez referred to as Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer’s determination to vote for the Home GOP funding invoice to avert a authorities shutdown “an amazing mistake.”
She additionally averted saying whether or not she’d major Schumer subsequent cycle though it is one thing some Democrats are privately urging her to do.
Ocasio-Cortez stated that she was concentrating on holding Democrats from backing the funding invoice, throughout an appearance on CNN on Thursday.
“The energy of our management on this second goes to reveal the energy of our caucus,” she instructed Jake Tapper.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mar. 5, 2025 and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, Mar. 13, 2025.
Getty Photographs
Her feedback got here the identical evening that Schumer stated he plans to vote to maintain the federal government open, signaling that there’ll nearly actually be sufficient Democratic votes to advance a Home GOP funding invoice earlier than a shutdown deadline on the finish of the day Friday. The minority chief’s announcement amounted to a significant break from Home Democrats who voted almost unanimously in opposition to the GOP funding invoice earlier this week.
Ocasio-Cortez stated passing the funding invoice would “empower” President Donald Trump and his senior adviser Elon Musk.
“I can not urge sufficient how unhealthy of an concept it’s to empower and allow Donald Trump and Elon Musk on this second. It’s harmful and it’s reckless,” she stated.
Nonetheless, Schumer contended {that a} determination to close down the federal government would give Trump and Musk an excessive amount of energy to proceed their federal employee cuts with out discretion.
Ocasio-Cortez stated there was nonetheless time to dam the invoice and that she hoped that “people which might be contemplating” voting sure on cloture and the invoice would “rethink” their help.
The congresswoman repeated her calls on social media, encouraging voters to name Senate Democrats and urge their no vote on cloture and the GOP funding invoice.
“Senate Democrats shouldn’t permit this chaos to proceed,” she wrote on X.
CNN reported on Thursday that Ocasio-Cortez was urged by Democratic Home colleagues at a retreat to problem Schumer — even from some centrist members — following the announcement of his determination on the funding invoice. She didn’t say whether or not she would contemplate taking up Schumer in a major.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez listens to the testimony of the witnesses throughout a Home Committee on Oversight and Authorities Reform listening to with Sanctuary Metropolis Mayors, Capitol Hill, Mar. 5, 2025, in Washington.
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On Thursday on the retreat, Home Democrats throughout the ideological spectrum maintained their opposition to the Republican-approved persevering with decision and stored the warmth on their Senate counterparts to do the identical. However the Home must come again into session to move the 30-day stopgap invoice they’re in help of. Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the concept calling Home members again could be an issue.
“Home Democrats are on the town. I imply, are we afraid of working? Is that the issue right here? That the concept, God forbid, members of Congress should fly again and do their jobs? I imply, genuinely — come on,” AOC stated on CNN.
Ocasio-Cortez lauded Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries for whipping votes in opposition to the invoice within the Home.

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer speaks to press within the U.S. Capitol, Mar. 6, 2025 in Washington.
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“Each single Home Democrat, together with each single Home Democrat who received a Trump district, apart from one out of over 200 voted in opposition to this deeply partisan, excessive Republican spending invoice … by way of Democratic management within the Home. We have seen that outcome within the Home, I believe it is time that we see related leads to the Senate,” she added.
The congresswoman stated her place is supported by nearly all of Individuals, most clearly evidenced by the heated city halls many members have been holding in current weeks with their constituents.
“If anybody has held a city corridor — or has seen what has been taking place on the town halls — American individuals, whether or not they’re Republicans, independents, Democrats, are up in arms about Elon Musk and the precise gutting of federal companies throughout the board. This persevering with decision codifies a lot of this chaos that Elon Musk is wreaking havoc on the federal authorities. It codifies a lot of these adjustments,” she stated.