Note: We recently received this Sept 1 post by the Science and Freedom Alliance, an NIH-affiliated group. This is worth your time: it describes how we can use the power we have in Congress to protect and repair science and the science agencies.
We are interested in posting other writing from NIH or science affiliates who’d like to share information with the community. You can contact us on bluesky.
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Approval ratings for Donald Trump are hitting new lows, as Americans push back against his increasingly fascist regime. Republicans often claim Trump's authoritarian overreach is justified by an electoral “mandate.” But with final counts showing more than half of the population (50.2%) voted for another candidate, this claim has always been dubious. As Trump’s approval sinks below 40%, the claim is downright laughable. Thus far, Congress and the courts—intended to check and balance Presidential power—have abdicated their roles, allowing Trump to run roughshod across the Constitution, infringe Americans’ freedoms, and erode the U.S. scientific enterprise.
As the Supreme Court continues to rubber stamp Trump’s lawlessness, the urgency grows for Congress to step back into its power. Thus far, Congressional Republicans seem to remain cowed by fears of retaliation in the form of being primaried or even physically harmed. As the minority party, Democrats have had few options to vote down Trump’s agenda. One key avenue for Democrats to sway legislation is appropriations, or the budget. The next major deadline is September 30th, when the government will shut down unless Congress passes a funding bill. The Congressional plan for the end of September is a continuing resolution (CR), extending last year’s funding levels while any appropriations (budget) negotiations continue.
Republicans have been using rescissions and reconciliation, both of which require only a simple majority in the Senate, to pass partisan legislation without buy-in from Democrats. But a CR is subject to the filibuster and therefore requires 60 votes, meaning support is needed from Democrats to pass in the Senate. Democrats had their first shot to use this power back in March 2025. Federal funding was set to expire on March 15, and without a CR the government would shut down. After initially vowing to demand a clean CR that did nothing but extend funding to keep the government open, Democratic leadership caved and passed a “dirty” CR that aided Trump’s rampage. Some Democrats publicly warned that a shutdown would empower Trump and DOGE, but privately, they reportedly feared blame for a government shutdown.
When Congress reconvenes, they face another budget showdown to fund the government beyond September 30. Democrats have another chance to use the filibuster, not just to get a clean CR, but to demand a “fighting CR” that includes checks on Trump: protections for science, human rights, and the American people.
During the Last CR Fight, Democrats in the Senate Folded
The government is now operating on the CR passed in March 2025. Then, as now, Republicans held the House, Senate and White House, giving them nearly full control of any budget package and thus responsibility for keeping the government lights on.
The House wasn’t expected to pass the CR. Through February and March, it was widely discussed that House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, would have trouble passing any CR through their fractious caucus without Democratic votes. But the Republicans in the House unexpectedly passed a CR (with one Democratic vote: Jared Golden, D-ME). This dirty CR contained provisions that cut the DC budget and gave Trump more power to redirect federal spending, which DOGE, Trump, and Trump’s government chieftain Russell Vought used to harm government agencies.
Senate Democrats were caught off guard, and folded. Senate Democrats had not laid the groundwork for a fight on the CR.
[…]
Democrats Must Demand a “Fighting” CR
Democratic leadership will soon have another chance to earn back the admiration and respect of their constituents, and to prove they are equipped with more than pencils for this knife fight with authoritarianism. Without a CR (or budget deal), the government will shutdown on Sep 30, 2025. If, as is likely, a CR passes the House, the Republican-led Senate must again win 9 votes from Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. It’s the March budget showdown all over again.
But this time, “Team Fight” needs to win - Democrats must demand that the CR include provisions to stop Trump’s lawlessness. Just like in March, recent polls show most Americans would blame Republicans for a shutdown. With Trump’s approval falling, Democrats have momentum to push back this time around.
Beyond using the CR to obtain statutory provisions to check Trump, a government shutdown can actually be used to help Democrats make the case against Trump. A shutdown would draw attention to the disaster that Trump, with Republican support, is unleashing on American power, prestige, jobs, and society. Shutdowns affect voters’ lives and hit at kitchen table issues. Drawing attention is a big part of fighting Trump, as long as Democrats use it to drive media coverage and tell the country that they’ll let the government shut down rather than let Trump destroy our country.
Schumer’s recent refusal to make a deal with Senate Majority Leader John Thune on speeding up confirmations of Trump nominees suggests even he might be ready to fight. Democratic leadership in Congress must stand firm on demanding a “fighting CR” that curtails Trump’s overreach. This time, they cannot back down.
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