By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 04:30 PM EST
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Wednesday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is “testing the GOP’s resolve” by keeping the government closed. He warned that the continued shutdown is harming millions of Americans.
On “American Agenda,” Cornyn urged Democrats to act swiftly to end the stalemate. The senator emphasized that he has repeatedly voted to get the government running again, stating, “I voted 14 times to reopen the government.” He described the shutdown, now in its 36th day, as inflicting “needless pain” on people across the country, citing jeopardized food stamps, airport delays, and safety issues in aviation. Cornyn also highlighted the struggles of federal employees who have not received paychecks.
Cornyn placed the blame for the ongoing shutdown on Schumer, accusing him of prioritizing politics over governance. He argued that Schumer is more focused on appeasing the “radical base” of his party than solving the problem. The senator noted that recent Democratic victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City have complicated negotiations, stating, “I’m afraid that last night has now emboldened them.”
Cornyn also defended the Senate filibuster amid calls to scrap it through funding bills, citing discussions with President Donald Trump and Republican senators. He warned that ending the filibuster would enable Democrats to impose sweeping reforms, including making the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico states, overhauling election systems, undermining the Second Amendment, and expanding abortion rights. “A lot of good reasons for the filibuster,” he said, concluding with a direct jab at Schumer: “Sen. Schumer, with this Schumer shutdown, is testing our resolve here.”
