As the government shutdown stretches into its third week, the United States Senate failed to pass a key funding bill for the Department of Defense. The measure, known as the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage, with a final tally of 50 to 44. Despite being a bipartisan bill focused solely on funding military pay, operations, and procurement, most Senate Democrats voted against it. The result is a direct threat to military readiness and national security.
Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana called out the vote on social media, stating plainly: “Dems just voted against funding our military even though this was a bipartisan appropriations bill. The Schumer Shutdown continues to be an embarrassing spectacle for our republic. Let’s get back to work!”
Dems just voted against funding our military even though this was a bipartisan appropriations bill.
The Schumer Shutdown continues to be an embarrassing spectacle for our republic. Let’s get back to work! https://t.co/vxSFeqlPXO
— Tim Sheehy (@TimSheehyMT) October 16, 2025
The defense bill was narrowly bipartisan, with three Democrats—Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania—breaking ranks to join Republicans. Still, that wasn’t enough. The failure to pass this bill means that American troops, already working without pay due to the shutdown, remain in limbo.
This is not just a political fight in Washington. The failure to fund the Department of Defense sends a dangerous message to America’s adversaries. As allies and enemies alike monitor our domestic politics, they see dysfunction at the highest levels of government. For nations like China, Russia, and Iran, America’s internal division is viewed as strategic weakness. In times of global instability, this failure to support the military has real consequences.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has been pushing for this funding, said the vote demonstrated Democrats’ “fundamental lack of interest” in defending the country. He added that rejecting this defense bill was “not a good look” for a party that claims to support national security.
The bill in question would have funded essential military needs: salaries for service members, operational costs, procurement of weapons systems, and research and development. It did not include controversial add-ons or partisan riders. It also did not cover military family housing or civil works projects, making it a focused and minimal proposal aimed at keeping the armed forces functioning during the shutdown.
President Trump has sought to protect military pay by redirecting $8 billion from unobligated funds left over from the previous fiscal year. But that move, while helpful, is a temporary patch. What the military needs is long-term, stable funding. As federal workers go unpaid and government services halt, our nation’s military is being forced to operate under uncertainty—an unacceptable condition for a superpower in an increasingly unstable world.
Senator Chuck Schumer, now the Senate Minority Leader, defended his party’s decision by arguing that funding the military alone is not enough. He insisted that any funding bill must also include money for domestic programs like health care and housing. In other words, Democrats are holding military pay hostage to force spending on their domestic agenda.
This is not the first time Democrats have used shutdowns to achieve political leverage. What’s different now is the global landscape. Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel. China is ramping up military drills near Taiwan. Russia remains entrenched in Ukraine. And America’s southern border remains under strain from record migrant crossings. Weakness at home invites danger abroad.
The American people expect their leaders to put the country first. That means making sure our troops are paid and our defenses are funded—especially during a shutdown. Instead, Senate Democrats have chosen obstruction.
The Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 was a step toward restoring stability. Its failure is a step backward for national security and a gift to our enemies.